Original 'Joie de Vivre' Figurative Fantasy Painting by Frank Kay Wenham Allen

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Original 'Joie de Vivre' Figurative Fantasy Painting by Frank Kay Wenham Allen

About the Item

'Joie de Vivre' (Joys of Life) is an original one off oil on canvas artwork by the artist Frank Kay Wenham Allen, painted in 2005 and from his widows private collection. About the work. This bouncy oil painting on canvas of Frank Allen's announces with its gaiety and warm colours that : "It doesn't matter if you are Old, Ugly or Fat, you can still Love Life." About the artist. ARTIST-PAINTER-SCULPTOR Originally from Blakely, in the Pennine hills of North West England, not far North of Manchester, Frank Allen must have been born with paint in his genes. Having travelled widely in far places of the world he set down his easel in Pouvezey, in the Périgord area of France in 1990, and later in Valeuil in 1999 where he lived with his painter wife till his death in June 2007. Frank’s father, Leonard, was a cabinet maker and carpenter, also the grounds man and caretaker for the Boy Scouts Headquarters at Linnet Clough. He liked to take his three young sons and his little daughter, with their mother Rose, for picnics on the moorland hills at the weekend. Rose would play ball with the elder two lads and her daughter while Leonard would enjoy painting watercolours of the scenery around them all day. Little Frank watched his father paint, fascinated. After a while Leonard bought him a paint-box of his own, a paint-brush and a block of paper to paint on. Frank was in heaven discovering this new occupation, happy to participate and learn from his father. When Frank was 14 he was allowed a place in the Plant Hill high school which was a special school inclusive of arts, crafts, music, theatre and other cultural aspects. It was later re-named Plant-Hill Arts College. ***************************** Later Frank travelled all over Europe and further, exploring people and places, collecting visual impressions for his already large and developing memory banks. He took his black, wooden paint-box and red ruck-sack everywhere. He made many friends. Also he made enough mental material to furnish his whole life, which he dedicated to painting. Living in the Périgord he travelled and explored the country always with his paint-box to work with. In the studio which he and his wife shared, he spread his pictorial memories and observations into big sketch books where they would wait for him to create new paintings to be executed on canvas or on dressed wooden panels. Sometimes he worked on extra heavy watercolour paper which had to withstand several layers of paint including oils and inks. **************************************** The paintings of Frank Allen cannot be reduced to a particular style, or known school, and they don’t subscribe to any kind of ism. Neither naive nor fauvist, as some unenlightened critics mistakenly declare. Although his work is figurative one cannot help noticing the very personal expression of Frank Allen’s observation of Man in his World. It is painting which combines imagery, in one sense simple, charming and benevolent, but at the same time plunging into the fantastic dream-world of real and sometimes disconcerting sceptic revelation; it can also be full of humoristic touches and affection towards the viewer. This is painting which grabs attention, incites one to think ....never leaving the observer indifferent. Frank paints in oils or watercolours but also uses his own technique of mixed –media. This is personal to him and consists of a mixture of washed ink drawing, painting in gouache and direct watercolours and tempera, glazes of thinned oil paints and the final high-lights drawn with white oil paint. This is the result of his own research which he continued throughout his career, supporting his flying imagination. Signed on the front, the painting is unframed and measures 39.4ins wide x 31.5ins high x 1in deep.

Dimensions:
Height: 31.5 in (80.01 cm)Width: 39.4 in (100.08 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Canvas,Hand-Painted
Period:
2000-2009
Date of Manufacture:
2005
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
London, GB
Reference Number:
Seller: B0101stDibs: LU2985318501102