Off The Wall Magazine Q&A with Allen Bunker

4/1/2019

 

Maine.  I have been coming to central Maine since the early 1960s, when my grandparents bought a camp on Boyd Lake. My wife and I lived in Boothbay Harbor for a while and spent a lot of time off the coast in our little Boston Whaler. 

 

Inspiration.  My creativity is driven by curiosity. A blank canvas has no mistakes—only room for improvement. Any stroke of paint is better than none. As the paint gets applied, a million decisions are made. Each one is an exploration into a place never before seen.

 

Medium.  I love how oil paint colors mix and blend with the touch of the knife, and several hours later, I am still able to go back into a painting to create more depth. To me, oil paint is like rich chocolate or a good conversation.

 

Artist Hero.  Although I admire many artists, my creativity comes from within, not from seeing other art.

 

Studio.  I have had many studios over the years: a huge barn I built myself, an expansive open studio in an old mill in Lowell, Massachusetts, and even a small space in the back of my garage. I also had a working studio inside an art gallery I owned with my wife in Boothbay Harbor. My new studio in West Newfield, Maine will be on the second floor of an 1875 barn. 

 

Where in Maine.  My wife and I recently purchased an old farmhouse in West Newfield that we are renovating. We also have a camp on a lake in Orneville. As anyone who has ever crossed the bridge at Kittery knows, Maine is a special place. Whether it’s loons echoing across the lake, the local folk who have lived in town their whole lives, or getting your meal from a trap pulled from the water, life is different in Maine. 

 

Fun Fact.  I was in Fall in the Four Seasons Fashion Show in third grade. I was attracted to Summer. She wore a bikini.

 

Education.  Like everything else in my life, I took a little education and ran with it. However, many times I was wrong, and I received more benefit from my mistakes. In other words, self-taught best describes me.

 

 


 

 

Learn more about this artist:

 

Available artwork

 

Radio Maine podcast interview
 

Off The Wall  magazine Q&A