

The artist's path is often an interesting one. For myself, I began as a graduate of the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan, majoring in illustration, but decided almost immediately that that was not the path for me. Instead, I gravitated to the fine arts and three dimensional work in marble and bronze. You might say I traded a pen for power tools, getting great satisfaction out of the physical demands of working with mediums that have carried great weight, both literally and figuratively, in the art world. You can still see the influence of illustration in the highly-detailed elements of my work. Currently, I'm creating life-size figurative sculptures in the neoclassical style with fantasy themes that show a harmonious relationship with nature. This no doubt stemmed from my 32 years of working as a park ranger. Call it an escapism from life's realities, but these fantasy-like creations take me to a different place, using skills old and new to unleash my imagination.
These are Alan's official ArtPrize entries from this year and past years.