Artist Errol Allen is dead

Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer



WESTERN BUREAU:

One of Jamaica's masters of fine art, Errol Allen is dead.



Allen, who devoted his life to painting art showing lines, light, shadow and colours of the ever-changing landscapes and peoples about him, died at the Cornwall Regional Hospital, Montego Bay, approximately this afternoon.



He had been ailing with spinal cancer for the past year.



Born August 18, 1960 in Granville, Montego Bay, Allen's interest in art began at age three.



At age eight, he began painting using watercolour medium.



Many of his early compositions were imitative realism, capturing the landscapes, seascapes and still-life form.



His death has been described as a great loss to the arts and cultural industry.



"Errol, is for me the greatest painter that Montego Bay produced. His work is often likened to the great impressionist masters," said close friend, Oral Fernandez, managing director of Document Solutions.



"He was a brother, father and friend to many who happened to make his acquaintance. A very kind and loving human being who always puts the needs of the people he cared about ahead of his own."



Fernandez, Allen and another painter, Allan Richards formed a strong bond over the past 10 years, and would often paint together.



In fact, Allen’s style and application continued to evolve over the years, but he retained a theme evoking reflective imageries of the common ideals of the secular Jamaican way of life.



His oil on canvas paintings were composed with rich colourful pigments, applied with heavy brush strokes, communicating the romantic expression of the Jamaican genre.



In March 2002, Allen was commissioned by the Jamaican Government to do a portrait painting of famed ABC television talk show hostess, Star Jones, which was presented to miss Jones at the Half Moon Hotel, Jamaica during a gala event held in honour of Miss Jones’ 40th birthday celebration.



janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com