I was Instagram surfing for interesting art and I somehow managed to stumble upon New York artist Michael Alan aka Michael Alan Alien. His website is a finely organized history of his art since 2008. To give you an idea of his world in one sentence, his Facebook proclaims: "All mediums no prejudice."
It also states "Egon Schiele on acid."
With every piece, Alan crafts a world of organized chaos where a beautiful smile is 74 scribbles of passionate multimedia mixtures turned into something truly unique to the eye. I have found myself staring deeply at his work for the majority of the last few nights. And rightfully so.
He even makes music which he describes as "out of print art punk [that] sounds like paintings dancing."
Can you describe your surroundings for us?
My surroundings always involve pen, paper, and tools, boxes of art supplies falling over. Now I'm working on my bed with paint, and tools all over my mattress. Drawings all around me, finished and I'm processing. Living life creating art, now and anywhere I go!
For those unfamiliar, how would you describe yourself / your art?
That's a life long question. I see myself as a very active working non STOP artist. From drawings, paintings, collage, sculpture, music, printmaking, and on. I have always been a traditional practicing artist. All my goals go back to making the best work I can. I am the guy drawing everywhere. I always have been.
I would say my work has its own line, style. I am an artist working from the emotion of the surreal times, an artist who connects more with the working ways of past rather than contemporary art.
How long have you been taking your craft seriously?
Since I was a kid! A baby! I don't do much else! I always made art versus hanging out! Art for me is even my clothing, my studio, my talk, when I fall off that path the world is not clear to me.
What were your art habits like as a child?
Drawing dicks all over my school, drawing on the desks, painting on everything and anyone, creating my own baseball cards and clothing! Non STOP color!
Have you had any interesting/unique dreams recently?
Most of my dreams are movies that change. For example I watch a film and as I pass out, I am in that movie for a while and it changes into something else. Hard to wake out of! I actually don't enjoy these dreams so much so if anyone has any ideas send them my way, it's a way I fall asleep to fight insomnia.
What are some studio essentials?
Organization is key to working. I have to set many bags with many areas for all different types of affects, marks and mixing of medias. There is a science to creating deep layer work.
I like having a mixed bag of materials for random flow. I have so much material, and many setups, I have the studio set up, the walk and draw kit, the car studio. It's really important to have art bins with separated materials.
I create a work line set so I know what to be working on next. I don't use help. It's all self made so I need to set goals.
Fished catalogued books, and books of work to go back into. In progress piles, and walls of what motivates.
Sound and sound! Tons of water! Candy! And push-ups!
Sound and sound? What have you been listening to recently?
Lately I been listening to interviews by Graf artists CHINO BYI and KET RIS both great loops they get me going in the studio!
You seem to cover multiple styles and mediums. Is every day different for you? Or do you go through lengthy phases?
I work in stages, I have several types of work I do. I work on all of them all the time. Sometimes at once , Each one feeds the other, they are all part of a MY visual language and world.
If I only worked on black paper with white lines I would loose the original flares that come from all the work I put in! The key to creating your own style is influencing yourself. You don't want your work to look like anyone else. I sure don't want to be part of any style now.
Do you have any advice for artists working on their craft?
Live free, art is that place we're you be anything. only enter to be lost in time, free, wild, clear, create, inspire, don't create to become famous or become rich or a sex icon. We will see that, it will faze out and you will be forever unhappy.
