Dick's work has a prominent Renaissance style that is done often but difficult to do well. His collages and assemblages are painstakingly mastered and layered as pieces of fine art. The above image isn't necessarily the clear representative of all of his work, sometimes I pick the odd one out because it resonates with me for some reason. But read on!

Dick Allowatt
allowatt.com
St. Albans, West Virginia

Describe your work in 10 words or less.

Renaissance influence with modern day attitude.

What do you like to work with (magazines, photographs, vintage)? Be specific!

Mostly found objects and vintage ephemera, anything showing a rich patina of age including old textbooks, manuals, photos, wood and metal embellishments. Giving new life to the forgotten and discarded.

How long have you been creating collages and what made you start?

Only 3-4 years. I had the need for a creative outlet aside from my position as an advertising creative director. Heart health issues gave me the motivation to take more control over that part of my life.

Are you solely an artist, or do you work in another profession?

I am still employed as an advertising creative director and graphic designer after over 30 years.

Do you have any formal art training?

A handful of classes including drawing, art history. Mostly self taught in painting, drawing, design, collage, assemblage.

Explain your favourite techniques.

Developing aesthetic correlations of totally unrelated images. I prefer to work on canvas and board, blending my elements with acrylic mediums and paint.

Describe your favourite piece ever created.

I think of them all as my children. Hard to choose. Maybe the next one.

What other artists do you admire?

Fred Otnes, Joseph Cornell, Hannah Hoch immediately come to mind. There are so many that I find inspiration from.

Thanks Dick!