Howard Moo Young, Contributor
(Left)Old Wattle & Daub House
(Right)Old Wattle & Daub Shop - contributed photos
Jack Allen, born and bred in Jamaica land we love, sees a serious need to preserve the presence of old-style Jamaican architecture, the cultural habits of our people and the sheer beauty of the island's landscapes and seascapes. He has also developed a love for Jamaican wildlife and flora as can be seen and appreciated in 'The many faces of Jamaica', the artist's latest solo exhibition of acrylic paintings.
On Sunday, August 12, 2007, the walls of the Jamaica Guild of Artist's Gallery, located at Oakton House in Half Way Tree, welcomed the exquisitely painted canvases of Allen's latest works of art. Scores of fellow artists, collectors, and friends gathered to congratulate Jack, who spent the last 10 months carefully selecting, composing, painting and applying his personal technique to each piece. One could see the care and time spent on every brush stroke, the impressive blend of colours and intense concentration on every subject while bringing out the various moods in capturing the very essence of Jamaica's unique mountains, forests, valleys and shores.
It's no accident that Allen was awarded 'The Best Art Student' prize at Jamaica College, where he also attained GCE O' Level and A' Level in art. He rounded out his education by taking supervisory management at the College of Arts, Science, and Technology (CAST).
supervisory skills
With his supervisory skills, he worked at the Land Valuation Office and The Forestry Department, where he did quite a bit of land surveying which took him deep into the interior of Jamaica. He had many opportunities to observe the sheer beauty of Jamaica's countryside and the habitat of its wildlife and people. All of this experience began to instil in this artist, a thirst and determination to someday showcase the 'Jamaican way of life' that would best exhibit the visions of the country as he experienced it.
A visit to this exhibition will do just that for any viewer, and whether you stand under the shade tree with several goats 'taking five' (my favourite piece) as your eyes move into the lush landscape, hear the beat of the hummingbird's wings as it collects nectar, experience the raw smell of freshly caught fish being gutted and scaled on the beach as the waves ripple against the shore, or the fresh scent of scallion piled high by the roadside ready to be shipped to market, this well-put-together exhibition beckons you to "come for the journey". It certainly brought back memories of the summer weeks that I spent in Newport, Manchester as a young boy and the many weekends that I travelled to my father's birthplace in picturesque Port Antonio by Gleaner Car and Kalamazoo.
Allen's portrayal of old buildings, some nestled in rural Jamaica with wattle and daub beginning to peel apart, others such as 'Old Falmouth House' with detailed fretwork and verandah surrounding the upper floor, is enclosed by crotons as a yellow fence welcomes the viewer home. His love for old buildings can be observed in the way he applies the acrylic to canvas, whether it's brick, wood or rusting zinc, wattle or daub.
Being a self-taught artist, Allen feels fortunate to have appeared in many national exhibitions, including the highly competitive Jamaica Cultural Development Annual Exhibition. Over the years, he has collected one gold, two silver, five bronze and four merit awards for his paintings. This has motivated the artist to strive for excellence in the future who also has a serious interest in painting narrative, storytelling scenes which he intends to pursue in the near future.
praises
This exhibition is certainly not to be missed, whether you are a collector, fellow artist or student. Dr. Brian Morgan, an avid art collector himself, showered praises on Jack's eye for detail and the use of his delicate brushstrokes and command of colour and composition. In his remarks, he referred to the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, and said that many of us, like the grandmother, will only see the beans while Jack Allen saw the giant beanstalk.
Allen continues to work from his home and studio in Swansea, Clarendon, creating more works of art having previously exhibited at Bloomfield Great House in Mandeville, Halse Hall Great House in Clarendon and Nyack, New York, U.S.A.
The exhibition continues until September 14, with opening hours from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. All the paintings on display are on sale and can be purchased at the Jamaica Guild of Artists office on location at the gallery.
