I'll have a Manhattan, acrylic on canvas

Allen Wittert’s figures and portraits have something almost Cubist in them – perhaps the way the artist composes his subjects using coloured shapes and dark outlines, or perhaps the scenes that seem to combine many different physical points of view into one imagine in which the perspective is slightly and interestingly skewed. Either way, Allen creates paintings bursting with life.

Orbiting Drone, acrylic on canvas

Boat paintings by Allen Wittert on his online portfolio

The vibrant, splashy colour palette is what first draws me into Allen’s work, and certainly it leaves a lasting impression. Allan has an impressive range of technical skill with paint, and seems to know what painted subjects will demand what sort of treatment. In his floral works, he can get get away with sparse shadowing and perspective, instead focusing on large, lush blooms – whereas in his paintings of boats and other vessels, he tends to favour a slightly more subdued palette and a more realistic figure-ground relationship. It seems that Allen’s varied artistic experience informs his entire body of work, with different skills shining at different times.

Big Bouquet, acrylic and housepaint on canvas