Artist statement? Um…OK
My name is Allan Ace Adams and I do Scratchboard art. Scratchboard is a hardwood board that has a layer of white clay on it, then a layer of black ink on top of the clay. I use a sharp instrument to scratch the black ink off, revealing the white clay that lies beneath. The amount of detail that can be achieved in this medium is almost limitless. The most satisfying part of the process to me is actually the fact that I am creating with white instead of dark. Out of the darkness an image comes to life.
My subject of choice is Animals/Wildlife. My Dad loved being in the outdoors and thankfully he took me along with him. Through spending time with him in the great outdoors I learned to see and appreciate the beauty of even the simplest creatures. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I ever heard him utter the phrase ‘Now that’s a pretty squirrel”. I do however remember how he taught me to chatter like a squirrel as we watched them gather their winter supply of nuts.
What’s all that have to do with my art? When I’m working on a piece, I want the viewer to see life in the animal’s eyes, or power in its stance. If I can achieve this type of feeling with the viewer, then I feel I have captured the true beauty of the animal. The next time they look at a squirrel, they just might see more than they did before.
That about sums up why I do what I do.
I hope you enjoy viewing my works as much as I do creating them.
Allan Ace Adams
