Interview by Jimon

1-Where do you live and create at the moment?  I’m currently based in Toronto, Canada.

2-Where did you study art and do you think Art school was necessary for your process?  I received my BFA at Parsons. I wanted to meet interesting people/artists/mentors and absorb all of the art that I could. NYC is the best place for that, not only for the purpose of developing my practice but also for developing as a person.

3-Describe Christina Allan in one word?  Introspective

4-Your work is very unique in nature, What is the inception of your work?  My work always originates from the craziness in my brain, which I then translate physically onto a canvas or digitally to create renderings for future works. It’s a very instinctual process of creating images and narratives that I visualize in my head.

5-What is the inspiration behind your paintings?  I take a lot of my inspiration from the world around me, from references of material culture to mythology to philosophical ideas and texts. I have an innate need to create in order to understand and come to terms with the world around me and my existence. I’m interested in the unknown – a recurring theme in my work – and create imaginative and fantastical scenes of subjects I’m interested in. Most recently I have been drawn to the spirit world and the mysterious nature of the ocean.

6- What advice would you give putative collectors?  Get to know the artist

7-How do you describe success as an artist?  Having the opportunity and privilege to be able to do what you love every day.

8- If you could live in a museum anywhere in the world which would it be?  The Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain

9-What do you dream about?  I have a lot of recurring dreams – ones I’ve had since childhood – mainly of places I’ve never been or people I’ve never met. But oddly, I know them very well.

10-Do you have a routine when you arrive in your studio?  My routine typically involves drinking copious amounts of coffee, blasting music, and zoning out for hours.

11-Do you listen to music or prefer to work in silence?  Music puts me in a machine-like state where I’m able to paint all day.

12- How do you decide when a painting is complete?  For the most part it’s an instinctual feeling – when you know, you know.

13-Do you paint one canvas at a time or multiple?  Always multiple. I like working on different things simultaneously, being able to rotate what I’m working on. It keeps things fresh, and I’m able to come out with several pieces all at once.

14-Do you have a place/person/thing that you visit for inspiration?  A lot of the imagery in my work is from my imagination, however I sometimes use digital references and distort them in Photoshop to create renderings for works. It’s also very inspiring and important to me to see other art – both contemporary or historical.

15-If you could have dinner with three artists living/dead who would be at your table?  Odilon Redon, Hieronymus Bosch, Dali

16-Name three things you can’t live without in your studio?  Computer, airbrush/spray paint, coffee

17-If you were asking the questions what question would you ask and please answer the question.

Why do you make art?  I have an innate need to create. The thought of not having the drive or sense of purpose to make work is a terrifying thought.

18-How would someone find you on Social media?  Instagram @christina__allan

19-Please name the first thing that comes to your mind while reading the following:

Art = purpose
Food = energy
Sports= synergy
Politics= reality TV
Poor = people
God = alien
Rich = people
Luxury = time
Sex = life
Picasso = sharp
Religion = double-edged sword