Watercolorist making his mark in sports art
BY MEGAN MCHUGH CORRESPONDENT
For those who have spent any time in an American high school, it might be safe
to say that jocks and hippies are like oil and water.
But within the confines of artist Alvin Fall's world, these two identities
are as cohesive as differing watercolor pigments.
Working primarily
in watercolor and colored pencil Fall designates his style as "watercolor illustration," bringing sports celebrities
to an iconic presence on the canvas.
The Melimelo Studio on Central will be hosting Fall's first show in Sarasota on Sunday, showing
his sports art on the first floor, and desplaying his depictions of natural images in the same watercolor illustration style
on the second floor.
Born in Kansas, Fall made his way to Sarasota almost four years ago after earning a degree in graphic art
from Missouri Southern State University.
While his degree is in graphic art, Fall focused on illustration throughout his time in college.
"I tried to
use illustration in all of my classes." Fall said. "I like to think of my artwork as graphic illustration."
The addition of
watercolor to his work came naturally to Fall, and he quickly impressed his teachers with his abiity to layer watercolor and
colored pencil.
"They thought I was using an airbrush," he said. "The color builds up nicely."
As
natural as his inclusion of watercolor is his involvement with sports figures.
In fact, the first illustration Fall ever completed
was of former
Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw.
For Fall, his love
of football and other sports was not a hindrance to his art, but rather provided a subject matter. Having played football
in both high school and college, his natural interest is quickley understood through his work.
"I wanted to always to have an
interaction with the game," Fall said. "When I was 15, I realized that was what I wanted to do for my
career."
Though
he still needs to wait tables for a steady income while he sells his sports art through commissions and his Web site, authenticillustrations.com,
Fall is positioning himself to achieve his dream.
The sensitive, nature-loving former wide reveiver is confident there is a place
for his work in the arena of sports art.
Lately, Fall has been making a shift in subject matter, as he begins to look away from the sports
field to meadows, prairies, swamps and other natural landscapes.
The second floor of his show on Sunday will consist of illustrations inspired
by photographs he has taken in natre.
He describes this work as
wildlife/fantasy," presenting illustrations of wild horses,
alligators, mermaids and other creatures over a more psychedelic watercolor background.
These figures were found on camping
trips in the Everglades and Colorado.
Although widely different from the sports figures, Fall remains consistent throughtout his work by
highlighting subjects from his personal experience to share with the public.
