Gene Allcott Art Gallery
Portrait of the Artist’s Parents
1989, Acrylic on Paper
“Legally Blind?
When we admitted Gene, we had severe doubts about his attending art school. His credentials were excellent, but… legally blind? He did it! He didn’t accept a handicap. He was amazing.”
Weekly Reader, Anne Stallard, former President the YWCA of America, reads to children
Piano Players
Redeeming of Life, I, II and III, 1976 — Savannah College of Art and Design-Atlanta
Photo by Scott Reeves, courtesy of Brenda de la Cruz
“When you’re hot, your shipping bill is a lot. Stick to your guns; keep that full-time job as a waiter, enter the slides as often as you can to shows. Remember to wear the smock and beret when you paint. The scene in Atlanta is just right for your own dash of salt and pepper. But remember, a watched pot never boils. Keep stirring for art.”
THE ART
“I’m going to make you famous,” Gene said, taking a photo out of Debra Morse’s childhood photo album. Today the space in her book is still empty as Gene kept it for so many versions he did of “Girl on Trike.” It can be found in numerous collections of Backyard Buddies as a drawing, painting, print and wood cut-out.”
GENE’S BACKYARD BUDDIES
“I first met Gene at a neighbor’s home. Before we knew it, we had commissioned him to do a portrait of our children, Jackson and Elizabeth on the beach at Sea Island. Gene and I often joked that since the price of the painting was pretty low, I could only boast of being a Buddy of the Arts… not a Patron of the Arts".” — Henry Benedict
SILKSCREENS AND DRAWINGS
CUTOUTS + A BLOND ANGEL
Good Luck Everyone! Love Gene….
O-Gene-O
What! Life! Pain!
(laughin’ and dancin’ and paintin’)
You titled it! Permanently.
Who’s gonna give the fun now?
Mr. Prankster:
You delivered the love,
(Wake up!) and splashed joy,
with a priest’s care
and Pan’s abandon.
You wildfire you!
Hoisting pretense
and flying hilarity
You own laughter.
We miss you, Backyard Buddy
We grieve, Mr. President.
We celebrate your enormous generosity.
Thank you for all your love, Gene-o.
— Geddes Dowling, Dowling Architects
“Being an artist is like swimming upstream. Each work builds on other works in the past. It’s a cumulative process. Creativity is a mysterious force. I don’t know why I paint, but I don’t think anybody knows why they do what they do. ”