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MAY10

Jack Allen Exhibition & Opening Reception

Public

 · Hosted by San Marco Bookstore

Thursday, May 10 at 5 PM - 8 PM

San Marco Bookstore

1971 San Marco Blvd, Jacksonville, Florida 32207

 

Calling all art lovers! It's time to shake things up and bring fine art into the bookstore. San Marco Book Store is honored to host abstract expressionist Jack Allen for a three-month exhibition. The opening reception will be held on May 10th, and the art exhibition will stay through August 10th.   Jack would love to chat and share about the art he is exhibiting. Contact Art Manager Deborah Cervi at info.jackallenartist@gmail.com

A NIGHT OF UNITY
By Chelsea Campion
August, 2016

In a time when people share everything, with everyone, every second of the day, it’s hard for me to filter which one of my experiences is worthy of sharing with the world. Every now and then, however, an extraordinary interaction occurs with remarkable people, a one-hour gallery visit that turned into three a couple of weeks ago most definitely is perfect for this.

 

Recently, Jack and I made long over-due plans with friends, a husband/wife business couple, to share an evening of wine, nibbles, and a tour of the gallery. What began as a relaxed evening of viewing art, soon evolved into a night of deep conversation and contemplation about the human condition and the role of the artist as a voice for expressing aspects of it.

 

As we moved through the gallery, exploring all of Jack’s artwork with an inquisitive, appreciative eye, it was clear this couple was moved by his work. Abstract expressionism is not always easy for people to access, but this couple immediately connected both to the method and philosophy of Jack’s work. Much of his work evokes a sense of lightness, freedom, and joy, and there was much warmth shared among all.

 

Upon making our way to his Unity series, however, the dialog deepened into more serious, contemplative conversation. You see, Jack’s goal for this series is aimed to represent humanity as a unified whole, that works together to bring peace and cooperation to the world. A beautiful goal that sometimes seems unattainable, but that evening, it was apparent that the four of us understood that the key required for change is for people to listen. And so we did. We listened and shared examples of disunity we had experienced in our individual lives and in the lives of those we cared for, and we were lifted up by our common goal for seeking unity in a better world and for our efforts to lead others there.

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What made this evening so very interesting, was our willingness to accept the power of this ideal through painting. Seeing the Unity Series gave one of our guests pause, a term she used to describe her reaction to one of the pieces, UNITY XVII. As she took her time to explore every part of this painting, she connected to and understood the message Jack was trying to convey. It’s a powerful thing to witness someone understand what your work means, and I was honored to see Jack felt championed and validated in his mission to reach people through art. We all felt changed for the experience.

 

This couple appreciated not just art, but also saw the value in it creating conversation that could lead to a global dialog. I was grateful to be a part of this experience, and I look forward to inviting others to see the value in Jack Allen’s artwork as a vehicle for discussion towards change.

UNF RECEPTION: UNITY SERIES

May 2015

Thank you to everyone who made it out to the reception for my UNITY Series! I would like to especially thank Oupa Seane, Lorna Bautista and Jim Draper for their hard work in preparing for this event. What a great turn out! And for the first time, I unveiled a surprise painting during the evening. Check back to see "Aschew Passivity to Unity" - a representation of dis-UNITY.

Edward Waters College Presentation

April 2015

This month, I gave a presentation at Edward Waters College on Achieving Success by discussing What Really MATTERS. I shared my experiences as both a business man and an artist in order to outline my tips for achieving success. I explained the importance of education, setting priorities, understanding your values and wisely managing time. I strongly believe that by sharing experiences and personal goals, we can motivate one another to live up to our full potential. 

 

Thank you to the Edward Waters College Factuly, Staff and Students for having me. 

UNITY EXHIBITION

March 2015

University of North Florida Intercultural Center for PEACE     l     UNF Student Union     l     Building 58E, Suite 2401     l     (904) 620-2475

 

I have been working on the UNITY SERIES for about three years now. In this series, I specifically explore the oneness of mind and purpose. I think about what we know about the world, and what we are to accomplish in this world. What is our purpose?

 

For me, the answer is: to put UNITY back into hUmaNITY. I truly believe the purpose of our species is to come together to and collectively provide compassion, kindness and understanding to one another. For the past three years, I have translated my emotions on this subject matter to the canvas – In an abstract form, left open to interpretation. My intention has been to illustrate many branching ideas from the main idea of UNITY. As I render my thoughts into a visual form, the process of painting becomes my therapy. Painting this series has allowed me to communicate my experiences and hopes for humanity.   

 

I am proud to annouce that my Unity Series will be at The UNF Lufrano Gallery May 13 - July 31, 2015.

Join me for the reception on May 21, 2015 in the gallery from 5-7pm.

ABSTRACT ART 101

February 2015

Once again, I visited the Tiger Academy to speak to the students about ART! Thanks to Marguerite Stewart for inviting me. Before giving a lesson on Abstract Art, I quizzed the class on their recent studies: Mona Lisa and Starry Night. We passed around some of my paintings so that each student had the opportunity to examine the colors and feel the texture. Before I left, I asked the students to: "Raise your hand if you would like to make abstract art!" I was thrilled to see a room full of hands. What a great visit.

3RD FLOOR ART

January 2015

Here are a few shots of the office. Call us to schedule an appointment for a tour!

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