Austin Van Allen

Austin Van Allen is an American Artist, Painter, and Art and Music Teacher based in State College, Pennsylvania. His watercolor and ink style is a relatively new direction for his artwork.  During the pandemic of 2020, society’s need for control overwhelmed him; this, along with career challenges affected his mental state, and his art. He felt lost and could no longer focus on hyperrealism - the ultimate expression of control. Instead, he started throwing paint onto paper using his hands, brushes, and cups of water. This raw, unrestrained way of painting allowed him to more fully appreciate the beauty of watercolor paint: colors bleed together, water runs and pools in unique places, blooms happen - he learned how to celebrate all of it.Austin loves color. He likes it loud, vibrant, and stunning. Liquid watercolor became his medium of choice because of its ability to provide the intense colors that he loves. The ink that is drawn over top of the paint is only meant to highlight the beauty of the watercolor and provide a little depth and texture in the artwork. Even though the ink adds an element of control to his art, it is always reactionary and subservient to the freedom expressed by the watercolor paint.