Plus, as a blogger, it’s essential to always be ready to capture images of art projects and life events to illustrate blog posts. I call this, “living with a blog mentality.”

This became a lot more difficult when my camera broke late last year. I haven’t invested in a new one yet because I’m not sure if I wanna go cheap and portable (for the blog) or expensive and professional (for the fine art).

“Peaches & Cream” Giclée print, 20in x 15in ©2010 Nikolas Allen

Luckily, my current muse just got a camera for her birthday. I’m teaching her to treat it as an extra appendage, as in “don’t leave home without it.” She’s an artist, too, so she understands the importance.

She is also quite fearless and is willing to doff clothing at the first sign of a creative spark. This is great, ‘cuz with me, creative sparks fly often.

With photography, all it takes is a great shadow, a perfect block of sunlight, or a distressed texture to catch my eye and inspire a new idea, photograph or series.

“Drapes” Giclée print, 20in x 15in ©2010 Nikolas Allen

However, when I’m painting, I often stare at a blank canvas, paintbrush in hand, struggling to realize what it is I want to “say.” For this reason, I find photography to be an easier art form.

That’s not to say photography is easy to excel at. One still must possess a strong vision, a unique point-of-view and the ability to edit. By edit, I mean to notice the slightest detail that differentiates a good shot from a great shot.

Editing also means being able to pick the “hero” shot out of three dozen similar pictures. We’ve all seen Flickr streams from someone’s event that contain twenty pictures that all look similar. It’s far more powerful to present one or two strong pictures than a dozen mediocre ones.

“Sideline” Giclée print, 20in x 15in ©2010 Nikolas Allen

When I was working as an Art Director, I loved scanning the contact sheets from a photo shoot and zeroing in on the hero shot that would end up in the ad.

Early in my career, it felt a bit overwhelming and I often feared that I would pick the “wrong” one. Eventually, it got easier and I loved to challenge myself to see how quickly I could pluck the diamond from the goldmine. These days, I still shoot several frames, and now the hero seems to practically jump out at me as I scroll through the images.

“Sunrise” Giclée print, 15in x 20in ©2010 Nikolas Allen

The shots displayed in this post study the interplay of light and shadow, they examine contrast and shape, and they speak to my passion for abstract, graphic imagery. I notice these elements recurring in my work, especially my photography, and find it exciting to be able to spot the concepts, motifs and nuances that develop into a signature style.

Of course, these images also celebrate the beauty of the female form, which has been a popular subject of artists since the beginning of time. And, hey, I am more than happy to do my part to carry on this celebrated tradition!

I’ve noticed my photo collection expanding into a sizeable body of cohesive works. In fact, it’s even starting to rival my collection of Digi-Pop Art. I’ll definitely be staging a solo photography exhibit in the latter part of 2010, and look forward to sharing the details with you as they come into focus.

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YOUR TURN:
Do you have any camera recommendations? What role does photography play in your life? What’s your favorite subject to shoot?

Being a digital pop artist, this presented an exciting new challenge for me.

My initial efforts produced a quartet of mini-paintings, which I dubbed my “Bad Li’l Betties” series. (I blogged about them here if you want to learn more about the Li’l Betties).

The “Bad Li’l Betties” series, acrylic on canvas, 5in x 5in ea. ©2010 Nikolas Allen

Recently, I heard there was a group art show coming up at a local gallery with the theme, “Portraits.” I decided to up the ante, go large and paint an acrylic piece to submit to the exhibit.

An impending submission deadline is a great motivator and this was no exception. I finished constructing the piece on the morning of submissions and dropped it off with only a couple hours to spare.

Contemporary Pop Artist, Nikolas Allen, stoked to be part of the show.

As you may have guessed by my expression – my piece made it into the show. The placement was a little wonky – way above the eyeline, over a door – but the piece is bold enough that it still stands out.

As for subject matter, I was still exploring the challenge of depicting the beauty and complexity of female faces, expressions and emotions, as I was doing with the “Betties” series.

“Kat In The Hat”, acrylic on canvas, 30in x 30in ©2010 Nikolas Allen

As for the construction of the piece, this was the first time I was attempting to paint on flat canvas, build a custom frame, and wrap the finished canvas myself.

Since I had never done that before, I enlisted the help of fellow artist and partner-in-crime, Brenda Woods, to show me the ropes.

Artists, Nikolas Allen and Brenda Woods, celebrate their collaborative efforts.

Not only has Brenda been building frames and wrapping canvas for years, but she also has a tool collection that would make Ty Pennington blush.

We built the frame with 1×2’s, but I wanted something other than just the wrapped edge of the canvas showing on the sides. After all, as creator of the DigiPopFuzzBox, I’ve set the bar high for myself regarding innovative framing techniques.

Holey plastic molding adds interest to the framed edges.

I was low on both time and budget, so I had to get creative. While browsing the hardware store, I saw a rack of L-shaped plastic strips full of tiny holes.

I thought all the little circles running along the outer edges would look cool. Plus, they reminded me of the benday dots that Roy Lichtenstein used to great effect.

I’ve been focusing soley on group shows for the last eight months. I spent a lot of time and money on my solo exhibit, “Bomb Pop”, in Ashland, Oregon last June and, while I love to execute my own Grand Vision, it’s not always feasible to do so.

“Portraits” on display at the SAC Gallery.

I realized that group shows would still keep my work in the public eye, allow me to meet and interact with other artists and their fans, share in the promotional efforts and decrease the overall cost of producing a show.

Plus, so far, each group show that I’ve partaken in has lead to further creative opportunities down the road. So it has been a great way to continue expanding my sassy brand of Contempo-Pop Goodness.

Plus, it forces me to continue to augment my body of work so when it does come time to stage the next Nikolas Allen Pop Extravaganza, I’ll have plenty of fresh neon eye candy for the peeps to chew on. Yum-yum!

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“Portraits” runs through April 11, 2010 at the Siskiyou Arts Council Gallery & Cultural Center in Mt. Shasta, California.

I asked my girlfriend her opinion on whether I should include some of my “Urban Hues” photography pieces (which I’m ready to introduce to the market this year), or just focus on my pop art works.

She offered, “Your Urban Hues series is fluff. It’s couch art.”

“Orange Concrete” from ‘Urban Hues’ series, 16in x 20in ©2010 Nikolas Allen

She went on to explain that my DigiPop collection is deep, layered, provocative and makes people think about uncomfortable subjects such as sex, addictions and infidelity.

“LIARS!” DigiPopFuzzBox diptych, 30in x 30in each ©2010 Nikolas Allen

We proceeded to have a great conversation about the difference between “art as decor” and “art as emotional provocateur”, including the merits and drawbacks of each.

Later that night, my wheels were turning. Into my head popped the phrase, “He was provoked”. This was followed by, “She wanted it”, “He deserved it” and “She had it coming.”

I knew I was onto something, so I grabbed my sketchbook and proceeded to jot down over a dozen phrases.

I started to realize that these concise, but powerful, statements are stories we concoct in order to absolve ourselves of blame and to justify our actions after doing something stupid, irrational or heinous.

These are the “Lies We Tell” to ourselves and others.

BAM! Another concept was born.

“Had It Coming” digital print, 30in x 40in ©2010 Nikolas Allen

As for the medium, I’ve been getting into painting on canvas lately, and I thought it might be cool to create colorful, abstract, expressionistic pieces using letter stencils for the words.

But it was late at night, I had no stencils and this concept was burning a hole in my brain. If I’ve learned one thing in all my years of pursuing the Muse, it’s this: When she shows up, be ready to dance.

It was not the time to be contemplating new techniques. It was time to “Go With What You Know”. And, hey, I’m a Digital Pop Artist, so I hopped on my trusty computer and worked into the wee hours on the above piece.

“Made Me Do” digital print, 40in x 30in ©2010 Nikolas Allen

Over the next couple days, I fleshed out more ideas. While the first piece was softly suggestive, the next two were a bit upsetting to work on.

I felt like I was lowering my energetic frequency; shifting my consciousness to that dark place where people who think like this exist.

As I worked, I was concerned that viewers might think these sentiments were the voice of the artist. Or, would they be savvy enough to realize that I, as an artist, am merely a spotlight, shining a light on the absurdity of our actions and beliefs?

“Provoked” digital print, 40in x 30in ©2010 Nikolas Allen

And, would anyone in their right mind want this hanging on their walls? Wouldn’t they rather have a nice piece of “fluff” hanging over their couch that they don’t have to think too much about?

Either way, the conversation I had with my girlfriend was echoing through my head. While I do believe that “couch art” has a place in the world, I also believe that artists should attempt to create work that wakes people from their slumber to contemplate issues they would prefer to ignore.

This concept is just emerging, but I wanted to share its origins early in the process while its exciting birth is fresh in my mind.

I feel like 6 to 8 pieces are necessary to make a cohesive, powerful statement as a series. I’m not sure where it will lead, but I guess I’ll be lingering in this dark place for a bit.

One thing I do know is that, after spending time and energy on this challenging concept, I’ll be more than happy to work on a little bit of “fluff” for awhile.

(“Lies” Model: Tiffany Alexandria Moy // Photos by: Nikolas Allen)

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YOUR TURN:
Do you enjoy “easy” art or “challenging” art? Is there a difference between what you want to see in a gallery or museum vs. your home? What are some of the lies you tell yourself?

As a digital artist, cameras and computers are usually my main tools, but I’ve been itching to expand my palette and experiment with various media, including paint and canvas.

Detail: “BETTY B. GOODE”, acrylic on canvas, 5in. x 5in. ©2010 Nikolas Allen

I had just been invited to partake in the holiday opening of Local Patron, a pop-up boutique selling the works of Bay Area artists.

I figured it would be a good time to create some small, affordable pieces of art with holiday gift-giving in mind.

“LUCY MEDUSA”, acrylic on canvas, 5in. x 5in. ©2010 Nikolas Allen

I had been sketching a lot of female faces for my “FACE TIME” series (which is still in progress), so that theme seemed to continue when I was deciding what my new mini series of paintings was going to be.

I have dabbled in acrylic paint in the past, so I was familiar with it, but there is definitely a learning curve when exploring a new medium.

Detail: “JENNA SIDE”, acrylic on canvas, 5in. x 5in. ©2010 Nikolas Allen

I love mixed media, so I added glitter and rhinestones to the finished pieces for a little extra pizazz.

When it came time for titles, I had fun coming up with names that were befitting of my badass cadre of SuperBabes.

“OPHELIA FLAME”, acrylic on canvas, 5in. x 5in. ©2010 Nikolas Allen

For the Local Patron opening, I also created a dozen “PopRox”, which are rocks that I plucked from the coast of Oregon and painted with cute, animé-style, pop characters.

“POPROX” ©2010 Nikolas Allen

These affordable art items even got a little press! SF Station, a blog detailing the arts & entertainment scene in San Francisco did a great writeup on Local Patron, including this blurb:

“Painted rocks might sound dull but those by Nikolas Allen are anything but, and fans of pinup/hotrod culture will love his mini painted canvases ($50).”
- Jailin Luh, SF Station writer

While I won’t be giving up photography and computer manipulation anytime soon, I’m excited to continue experimenting with a variety of mixed media in the coming year.

For nearly a year, I’ve toyed with the idea, while refining the sketches and contemplating the execution and the medium.

The early part of ‘09 was spent on production and prep for my “Bomb Pop!” exhibit in June. When that show ended, I wanted to jump right into some new work – but the inspiration wasn’t there. So I waited…for days…then weeks. I was smack in the middle of a summertime slump.

Meanwhile, I was busy creating content for the launch of this website. A couple days before the launch, I decided to write a post on breaking through creative blocks. Five hours after I wrote that post, came my own breakthrough – BAM!

By the end of the night, I had created “Forgive Me, Gracie”, the first piece in the series I had dubbed, “Face Time”.

Five days later, came “Dreaming of Rita”. By mixing background photographs with text and sketches, I’ve created a multi-media mash-up that juxtaposes beauty amidst a distressed mess of textural chaos.

This is an apt metaphor for Life, in which we need to appreciate the flowers among the garbage.

I think that four pieces is a good number for a mini-series, so I’ll create two more pieces before I get them produced.

As for production, I’m thinking of giclée prints on canvas, which I will wrap around 40”x30” stretcher bars. So far, all my work is printed on sintra (a heavy, PVC-based material) and I’m eager to try out some different materials.

Stay tuned for more on the “Face Time” series as it evolves…

The inspiration came from a visit to the supermarket, where I was marveling at all the colors in the produce aisle. The color scheme of the bell peppers brought to mind a stoplight, and the signals to Stop, Go and Proceed With Caution were familiar from elsewhere in life…BAM – another concept was born.

Most of my pieces start with a photograph. I’ve spent the last decade as an advertising art director, and the photo shoots have always been my favorite part of the job. I’m always grateful to connect with other creative people who are eager to help execute my vision.

For the first edition of this piece, I produced photo prints in custom frames matching the color of the peppers. That piece SOLD at my solo art show at Moxi Salon in San Francisco.

For the second edition, I wanted to try something different. I ordered three custom box frames from a woodworker in Sebastopol, Ted Gross, whom I found on Craig’s List.

First I primed them with Gesso, then proceeded painting the planned color scheme.

After several coats were applied, I added the finishing hardware and padding.

Instead of printing to photo paper, I printed directly to 1/8” sintra, which is the material I’ve used for the rest of my collection. I then glued the sintra output to the removable wood panels of the custom frames.

Frames painted, art firmly in place, the panels were ready to mount.

The second edition of “YES! NO! MAYBE?” is complete and ready to hang. The white box frames offer a contemporary look and the painted inlays offer a little pop of color, reinforcing the scheme of the traffic-light concept.

Artwork is 12” square, frames measure 13 1/8” square. “YES! NO! MAYBE?” triptych is available for purchase. Please contact nikolasallenart@gmail.com with inquiries.

The artwork, which usually starts with a photograph, is given the appropriate Digi-Pop Treatment, then output directly to 1/4″ sintra (a sturdy, PVC-based material) and mounted to painted chain link fence gates.

“BANG! BANG!” by Nikolas Allen

But let’s back up a bit. Up until now, my collection consisted entirely of DigiPopFuzzBoxes, or Digital Pop Art mounted to Fuzzy Box frames.

“TEEN SEX!” by Nikolas Allen

For those pieces, I would purchase 3” deep gallery canvas, strip off the canvas and cover the box frame in fuzzy fabric. Then I would mount the artwork, which is digitally printed directly to 1/8” sintra (thinner than the pieces I mount to the Gates).

In this manner, I’ve created a cheeky-fabulous collection of bright, fun, unexpected pieces that evokes great reactions from viewers.

“SKREWED!” by Nikolas Allen

Recently, I was considering other mounting ideas and came up with the chain link fence gate. It has an urban, industrial feel that I felt would look great in the right setting.

Since the idea was new, I wasn’t quite sure how I would best go about the gate-painting or the art-mounting. But I had an art show coming up and six weeks to figure it out.

I enlisted the help of Erik Fidman, a professional painter who had just painted the exterior of my mom’s retail store.

I knew I wanted a white gate for “SKREWED!”, but wasn’t sure of the best color for “BANG! BANG!”. I thought a pink gate would be hot, but realized that wouldn’t make the artwork pop as much as I wanted. So, I went with…

…“Yellow Blast”, baby! BAM!

The minute I unleashed the paint gun, I knew I made the right color choice.

The insects liked the color too and immediately came running! They must have thought it was a giant flower. Much to their dismay instead of tasty pollen, they sucked up a faceful of toxic sludge! YUMMY!

After considering several complicated mounting techniques, I settled on eyebolts, acorn nuts, washers and hanging wire. Sometimes the simple way IS the best way.

With a few days to spare, I finished both new pieces in time to debut them in “BOMB POP! A Sexy Explosion of Art & Love” at Village Shoes in Ashland, Oregon. They lit up the window display on Main Street for the whole month of June, creating quite a buzz.

I love it when a plan comes together!

At last count, I have profiles, stores, and galleries at over a dozen places in cyberspace. While that’s good for increasing brand awareness, it has started to feel way too scattered!

My initial goal was to direct people back to my online boutique, nikolasallen.com. However, that site is all about my line of Renegade Girl Grafik Garments, which was my original focus, and not my collection of Digital Pop Art, which has emerged as my primary focus.

So, I’m building this site in order to bring everything under one virtual roof: the art, the fashion, social observations and commentary. It’ll be a fun process to figure out the evolution of the site, and I hope you visit occasionally to see how things are progressing.

Thank you for your support!