ACT Apprentice Allan: Quantity and Quality

Each Apprentice has a personal bin filled with their work at the Artists Creating Together Studio. When I saw Allan with his, he was pulling out each drawing, one at a time, and counting. Each time I passed, he was still counting, until the numbers started to hit the hundreds and all the Apprentices were impressed.

Allan had a goal; he wanted to create 500 drawings by the end of his Apprenticeship with ACT. Hearing him count I wondered how long that might take, but then I saw him draw and I knew it was possible (and probable) in the near future. Watching Allan draw is like watching a professional cartoonist draw one of their established characters with fast sweeping strokes and perfectly coordinated lines. “I like drawing,” he says, “and I like my characters.” I ask if he has a favorite, but he shakes his head. He likes them all and is always creating new ones. Allan can create new characters just as quickly as professionals can draw their regulars. He can put a pencil to paper and by the time he lifts it there is a whole new drawing. The simplicity of his characters are attractive to the eye, with basic bright reds, blue, greens, and yellows. It feels like you’re watching television when looking at Allan’s drawings.  

Cartoons are one of Allan’s passions which is why he is able to draw them so quickly. Creating these characters is his favorite thing to do. He also enjoys making caricatures, which are characterized by exaggerating the features of his cartoons. His inspiration for all of these come from a vast array of American and Canadian cartoon shows and his own imagination.

Allan also has some big plans for his future. He would like to study art at Oklahoma City college. “I want to go to Canada,” he proclaims. His fellow Apprentices remind him that he will need a passport, and he knows this. He is ready to take his art beyond where he grew up in Wyoming, Michigan.

By the end of this weekly class session, Allan’s count had reached the two-hundreds. He was excited by this number and determined more than ever to reach his goal. The following week when he arrived at ACT, he proudly announced that he had reached his goal. There were 500 drawings of all his favorite characters. To see his work in person, come and visit the Apprentices’ year-end showcase at the Lions and Rabbits museum, April 27th from 5-7pm. Additional details are located in the sidebar.

Interview and Story by Haley Wagner, Writing and Development Intern