Christopher Allen

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Christopher Allen – Artist Statement

My name is Christopher Allen, and I lived in Santa Cruz for the last 20 years, where I worked as an educator for 15b years and a full time artist for three years before moving to Vashon, WA in December of 2018 to begin an exciting new phase of my artistic career.

The natural world has always been a big inspiration for me. In Santa Cruz and Vashon, I am particularly inspired by the ocean and forests. I am also a person who hates to see things thrown away. I soon began gathering materials found on the streets. Beginning with bottles and vintage glassware, I began incorporating all kinds of materials, including electrical wiring, salvaged fencing and barn wood, barbed wire, bicycle parts, corrugated metal, offcuts from guitars, discarded art supplies, packing materials, and electronic circuitry. Virtually all of the materials in my art are things that I have found, salvaged, or bought from local stores and businesses, and that would otherwise wind up in the landfill.

I love the idea of making art with things that would otherwise be thrown away or just lay around unused, as well as the juxtaposition of the natural world made with industrial, man-made materials. I love the idea of things from the natural world made with things from the man made world. My motto is, “Art is Everywhere!”