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Harold Allanson Marine Artist


Harold Allanson holds a life-long interest in drawing and painting, but didn’t express his talent fully until he took an early retirement. He then seriously delved into his initial chosen interests, drawing and painting, and hasn’t looked back.

Much of Harold’s stimulation comes from the area in which he lives: the inspiring scenery of the West Coast of British Columbia. His realistic watercolours depict boats and the people connected to them, the aged, battered tugs that still provide substance for skipper and crew, and the older fishing boats that are quickly disappearing, along with the fish they catch. Harold is motivated to paint the past, and to capture the images of a quickly vanishing life-style.

But the artist’s interests are not just limited to boats: he is just as likely to produce paintings of people, flowers or any other subject that might strike his fancy.

Harold's paintings are bold, realistic works often expressed in strong colours, revealing water reflections late in the day, early morning sunlight or deep shadows; the sort of painting that will catch the viewer’s eye from a distance.

Harold paints for his own personal enjoyment and hopes others will find pleasure from his work as well.

Watercolor Magazine February 2011

Harold was a feature artist in the February 2011 issue of Watercolor Artist Magazine.

"It was that “beauty out the windshield” that Allanson encountered in the years between his early experience as an 18-year-old in art school, and his life now as a painter living on Gabriola Island, off the coast of British Columbia, that kept him connected to art. Like many artists, Allanson has an intensely visual understanding of the world around him, an eye for details and patterns, shapes and rhythms, lights and darks. This characteristic compels him to see everything around him as potential subject matter. Even during the years he was driving, and not painting, he was looking through the windshield—always seeing with an artist’s eye."

excerpt from "The Long Haul", by Ann Emmert Abbot, on feature artist Harold Allanson. pp 50 - 55.

Watercolor Artist Magazine

ASSOCIATIONS

  • FCA Education Committee, member 2008-2009
  • FCA Chair, Gabriola Workshop Committee September 2009 - 2010
  • Organizing Director FCA Bamfield Retreat, and Show Oceans of Art II 2008/9
  • FCA Nanaimo Chapter, lifetime member
    • Past President, 2002-2004
    • Chair Chapter Workshops 2003-2005, 2007-2009
  • FCA 2nd Vice President 2008 - 2010
  • FCA Honourary lifetime member
  • Festival Gabriola Arts Council, Board of Directors, Member, 2003-2005, lifetime member

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

  • Federation of Canadian Artists, Honourary lifetime member
  • National Watercolour Association, member
  • Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, member
  • Transparent Watercolour Society of America, member

SHOWS

  • TWSA 35TH National Exhibition, May-July, 2011
  • FCA 1st Annual AIRS Show, October 2010
  • TWSA 34TH National Exhibition, June 2010
  • CSPW Show, Leigh Square, Port Coquitlam, March 2010
  • FCA Success Show, Granville Island, March 2010
  • FCA Spilsbury Medal Show, Granville Island, December 2010
  • TNSC Open Show Kamloops, April 2009 (Thompson Nicola Shuswap FCA Chapter)
  • FCA Spilsbury Metal Medal Show Granville Island December 2008
  • Nanaimo Cultural Capital 2008 Show, Artists of Momentum November 2008
  • FCA Nanaimo Chapter Show Summer Juried Show, May 2008
  • FCA Nanaimo Chapter show Autumn Light October 2007
  • All Island Show, Island Perspectives, at Malaspina UC, Director in Charge, Nanaimo, June, 2005
  • Bamfield Marine Science Centre Show, Oceans of Art, NAG, March 4-12, 2005.
  • FCA Here and There Fall Show, Oct. 2004.
  • FCA Paintings by Numbers fund raising dinner, Granville Island, Contributing Artist, Oct. 2004.
  • FCA Nanaimo Chapter, Dorchester Juried Spring Show, May 2004.
  • FCA Nanaimo Chapter Show, Close to Home, Nanaimo Art Gallery (juried), June-July, 2004.
  • FCA Dorchester Juried Spring Show, April 10-12, 2003.
  • FCA Juried Art Exhibition, Rogues Gallery, Sept. 2002.
  • FCA Spring Open Watercolour Show, Granville Island, 2002
  • FCA June Juried Show, Granville Island, 2002.
  • Solo Show, Things I've Seen, Gabriola Artworks, 2001.

AWARDS

  • 1st Place "Halibut Catcher" 2nd Annual FCA AIRS Show, October 2011
  • People's Choice Award "Lifting Fog Port Alberni", Transparent Watercolor Society of America 35th Exhibitio, May 2011
  • Garage Award "Chicago at a Glance", Federation of Canadian Artists Garage Awards, October 12-13, 2010
  • 2nd Place, "Red Snapper", Transparent Watercolour Society of America 34th National Exhibition, May-July, 2010.
  • 3rd Place "Herring Catch" Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour show Western Streams, March 2010
  • Awarded Senior Signature Status, Federation of Canadian Artists, (SFCA) March 2010
  • Daniel Smith Award - "Red Snapper" - $2000 product award at the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour 'Open Water 2009' in Calgary, September 2009.
  • Silver Medal Award of Excellence and cash prize - "Calling For Rain" - Thompson-Nicola-Shuswap National Open FCA Show 2009
  • People's Choice Award, "Calling For Rain", TNS National Open FCA Show 2009
  • Award of Excellence - "Red Snapper" - FCA Spilsbury Metal Show Granville Island December 2008
  • Honourable Mention FCA Nanaimo Chapter Show Summer Juried Show May 2008
  • Award of Excellence FCA Nanaimo Chapter Show Autumn Light III October 2007
  • Honourable Mention FCA Nanaimo Chapter Show Autumn Light III October 2007
  • Award of Excellence, FCA, Here and There Fall Show, Oct. 2004
  • Awarded Associate Status, Federation of Canadian Artists, (AFCA), Mar. 2003.
  • Juror's Choice Award, FCA, Dorchester Juried Spring Show, Apr. 10-12, 2003.
  • Award of Excellence, FCA Juried Art Exhibition, Rogues Gallery, Sept. 2002.
  • Honourable Mention, FCA Juried Art Exhibition, Rogues Gallery, Sept. 2002.
  • Award of Excellence, FCA 60th Anniversary Nanaimo Chapter Show, July-Sept. 2001.
  • Honourable Mention, FCA 60th Anniversary Nanaimo Chapter Show, July-Sept. 2001.

PUBLICATIONS

  • Watercolor Artists Magazine, Feature, February 2011
  • American Watecolor Artists Magazine, September 2010
  • Nanaimo Culture Capital 2008 Artists of Momentum catalogue
  • Paintings by Numbers Catalogue October 2004 & 2009
  • International Artist Magazine, Vol. 39, October/November, 2004, p.138.
  • Cruising For Cowards, Romany Publishing, Liza & Andy Copeland, 1997,
    illustrated by Harold Allanson
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Harold Allanson Galleries
GALLERIES


STONE CROP STUDIO
255 James Way
Gabriola Island
B.C.
V0R 1X1
250-247-7930

NEWS

Halibut Catcher
"Halibut Catcher"
1st Place, 2nd Annual AIRS Show
Federation of Canadian Artists
2011

American Artist Watercolor Magazine did a write up in the Sept 2010 issue on the TWSA - Transparent Watercolor Society of America's Exhibition last June.

Harold's painting "Red Snapper" was included in the write up. Red Snapper had the honour of receiving a 2nd place award in the show, the Members Award.

Lifting Fog Port Alberni

"Lifting Fog Port Alberni" awarded People's Choice at the Transparent Watercolor Society of America 35th Exhibition, 2011


LINKS



WORKSHOPS WITH
HAROLD ALLANSON

2012
Jan 23 - 27 : Gabriola
May 7 - 11 : Port Alberni
Oct 13 - 14 : Abbotsford
Oct 19 - 21 : Kamloops

2013
Apr 21 - 30 : Spain

click here for details
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This website and its ENTIRE contents Copyright © 2012 Harold Allanson. All Rights Reserved.

cape pine