Allen Bourne

ARTIST STATEMENT — In his “law of the instrument,” Abraham Maslow said, "I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail." This law certainly applies to photographers like myself who shoot a wide range of subjects on the way to finding their artistic voice. While much art on the market today seems aimed at driving social awareness or change on often narrow topics, my purpose is to provide a visual haven from the hyper- politicized, armed-camp environment that we live in today, a haven that delights through abstract color and form, mystique and surprise regarding the subject. The predominant focus of my photographic work to date has consisted largely of abstract images of nature, or objects altered by nature, chemistry or both that have been discarded and are off the beaten path. BIOGRAPHY — I received a Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma State University in Journalism/Advertising, which included studies in photography. My interest in the medium led to a news photography internship and a 35-year career in communications that included strategic work in graphic design studios, magazines, advertising agencies and corporate marketing departments. A chance purchase of an Eliot Porter portfolio in 1980 launched my interest in abstract photography, particularly of the natural environment, and has fueled an ongoing informal study of abstract expressionist and color field painting, which influences my print and video work today.