Today we’d like to introduce you to Levar Allen.
Hi Levar, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Throughout my life, I’ve always been involved in or surrounded by art. I took an early appreciation for it through my dad who was an artist mostly for fun at the time. He didn’t necessarily teach me how to draw but more so to just do it in general. I was also shown a Salvador Dali book from my dad from before I can remember, but I believe that book subconsciously led me to the style of art I would love to do when I started painting. I’ve always had a vivid and fantastical imagination but always felt like I couldn’t put it on paper the way I wanted to. That didn’t stop me from still drawing as creatively as I could, from drawing stick figures in busy cities with superheroes and colliding universes filled with planets to portraits of faces I’ve never seen. It wasn’t until 2017 that I decided to take the ideas I usually draw on paper and paint them on a canvas, hoping to bring my inner world to life a bit more. Even in the years after though, the was no real spark to my passion in creating the way I wanted there to be. I knew I wanted to paint, to create. But what? After some abstract and space-like pieces were made, in 2019 I made the piece that was not only my first surreal-styled piece, but it provided a connection between me, my art, my spirit, and God: “Outta Mind Outta Love.” From the completion of that piece, I understood the importance and the limitless feel of art and my spirit, but just a glimpse. So, then solidified my journey as an artist. Now, I pray to Source that, with each piece I start and finish, He gives me the imagination and creativity He had when creating the universe, and in return, I’ll share it with the world. Not just the art but the message, the feeling, and the spirit. I like to think we’ve both been holding up our ends of the deal.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There are smooth moments down the road, I can say that. I feel like it’ll always be somewhat bumpy if I’m still looking for more of my audience and the right eyes to help move my art to higher heights. At the same time, I can see the road getting more rigid with the more success I achieve with longer or smoother roads to compensate once I get through it. Some obstacles I face are all financial, unfortunately. There are more than enough people who love my art; there aren’t enough that invest in it. At the end of the day, I’m still painting and doing all I can to let nothing take me away from that.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a painter who has been intrigued by painting in the style of surrealism using mediums including oil, acrylic, and spray paint, as well as pens, pencils, and markers when I’m feeling like my old-school self. Through my art, I am known for creating pieces that can take your eyes, mind, and even spirit on a journey if you allow it to. I use surrealism in most of my pieces but experiment with abstract portraits and land/space/dreamscapes as well. And to be perfectly honest, when it comes to my journey, I’m most proud of the first piece I ever made and the fact I kept creating after that to see what my mind could conjure up from my inner world. Lastly, what sets me apart from others is I know I am reaching for a world not seen by others. I am trying to achieve a level of art that will not only elevate my career but also my higher self. My art is not modern, but I don’t consider it a style of the past either. It’s somewhere in the ether.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Patience and maintaining sanity. Which I’m sure a lot of us had to learn, too.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/levartheartist
