Backroom Highlight - R. Allen Jensen, AKA, AKA

R. Allen Jensen, Faux Chalkboard, 24"x30", $725

R. Allen Jensen aka Robert Dante aka MAF Hockney aka Max Edison aka Amanda Stanhope aka Backroad Bob is our hero. Andrew Vallee first met Bob in 1994 - he was studying art at Western Washington University and Bob was one of his instructors. The class was as much about why to make art as much as how to make art. The "only" requirements were to be prolific, and be ready to defend how and why they created something. Andrew graduated in 1996 and Jensen retired the next year. Andrew focused on studying woodworking and Jensen continued to create on his own with artwork in exhibitions at the Whatcom Museum, Western Gallery, and Museum of Northwest Art.

Then in 2008, Andrew reconnected with his old mentor by having an exhibition of his work. Jensen was given full reign, choosing all of the work in the show. Another exhibition in 2009 flipped this idea when Jensen asked Smith & Vallee to choose artworks from his vast studio.

In winter of 2011 we have another planned exhibition with Bob. What does that mean? No one knows at this point but we are thrilled to have another chance to work with our prolific, uncompromising and extraordinary hero. For more reading, see here, here, here, and finally here.

R. Allen Jensen, Daily News, 28"x21.25", $600

R. Allen Jensen, Venus, 21"x15", $500