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Approximately
20 years ago, folk artist and master craftswoman Denise Elaine Allen
discovered the wonderful world of needlework.
Although Mrs. Allen never took an
art or sewing lesson, she has been nationally and internationally
recognized as
"The High Priestess Of Needlework."
In a
feature article written in the Art Section of
The New York Times the following observations were made regarding
her work;
"Mrs. Allen calls herself a folk artist
and sometimes a folk outsider artist.
Claims of naiveté are widely viewed with suspicion these
days, when an unschooled look is an asset imitated by many well-trained
artists. But she is the genuine
article. She did not go to
art school (she studied beauty culture and secretarial science), but her
self-naming entails more than that.
It indicates a sense of abandon that few academically trained
artists could reach".
The Times further asserts; "Although
the arts freshness is a large part of its appeal, certain parallels with
other art can be detected. 'Grandma Moses' depictions of the routine activities
undertaken by families and communities in simpler times have much in
common with Ms. Allen’s concerns.
Her rich textures may also bring to mind Romere Bearden’s
collages which gain much of their power from the juxtaposition of widely
contrasting materials. Mrs.
Allen not only achieves visual textural variety but also a tactile variance."
Another
prominent newspaper, The New York Daily News writes;
"Denise Allen’s work is striking, what this self-taught
artist’s inspiration produces is nothing short of amazing".
Country Living Magazine also jumped on
the bandwagon in their monthly magazine and did an article titled
"How African-American Art Finally Got Noticed" in which
Mrs. Allen’s 3d needlework tapestry was featured.
In the fall of September 2000, Raw
Visions Magazine will be doing a feature article on Mrs. Allen’s art
career as an American Folk Artist.
For someone who has never taken an art or sewing lesson, what
Mrs. Allen has so far accomplished is nothing short of a miracle.
Some other Newspaper and Magazines that
have sung the high praises of her work are The Amsterdam News, The
Staten Island Advance, The Queens Tribune, The City Sun, New York News
Day, Antiques and the Arts Weekly, The Port Authority of N.Y. And N.J.
Diary, The Queens Gazette,
The New Moon Express, Art News of Westchester, The Hudson River Museum
Currents, Folk Art Magazine, The Learning Center of NYC Creative-Arts
Magazine and others.
The folk art work of Mrs. Allen has been widely
exhibited at the following places:
THE HUDSON RIVER MUSEUM, YONKERS N.Y.
THE BRONX RIVER ART CENTER AND GALLERY
CITY BANK OF NEW YORK, WOODSIDE, N.Y.
SEATON HALL UNIVERSITY, N.J.
SONY MAX THEATERS, N.Y.C.
PRATT INSTITUTE, BROOKLYN, N.Y.
THE LEWIS GALLERY, BROOKLYN, N.Y.
IMARISHA ART HOUSE, BROOKLYN, N.Y.
80 WASHINGTON SQUARE EAST GALLERIES, N.Y.C.
JAMAICA ART CENTER, QUEENS, N.Y.
ARTWORKSPACE
RESTORATION ART GALLERY
THE FRANK J. MIELE CONTEMPORARY FOLK ART GALLERY
THE PORT AUTHORITY OF NY ART GALLERY, NYC
THE ATRIUM GALLERY, WAYNE, N.J.
THE STATE MUSEUM IN ALBANY
MEDGER
EVERS COLLEGE, BROOKLYN, N.Y.
MUSEUM OF AMERICAN FOLK ART,
N.Y.C. |
