“I am what I create…”
Paul Zimmerman in conversation with Alan Reddick
Paul Zimmerman: You explore figuration in your work. What is it important?
Alan Reddick: It important that I capture the essence of the subject Im painting or sculpting. I want the viewer to feel my subject to relate to it. Maybe have something in their own life that can possible relate to it. Most of all I want them to be moved.
PZ: What is the most challenging aspect of your paintings and sculptures?
AR: The most challenging thing in my painting and sculpture is to capture the images the individual I made be painting of sculpting. If just slightly off you make have someone completely different this has happened to me a few times. Where someone would say this looks like so and so and it will not be who I intended it to be. I work really hard to make sure my portraits and bust look like the person its suppose to be.
PZ: What is your artistic process? How do you create your works?
AR: Sometimes, without even being aware I will look at a photo and a light goes off in my head, and I’ll say I have to paint that. This happened recently on a painting of a photo I saw and painted recently of Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk. I also will look at many photos and choses the one that I feel will fit my style most to create.
PZ: Do you have any particular goal in mind when your start a new piece?
AR: Im a perfectionist with my work. My goal is to create the best possible painting or sculpture I can. It’s very exciting starting new piece I usually can’t wait to get started.after the piece is finished I want to feel a sense of accomplishment that I have something I would like the world to see. 
PZ: How would you describe yourself as an artist?
AR: I am what I create. My life experience is seen all throughout my work. If I feel strong about a social issue you will see it in my work. I would relate my art in some respects to a musician because I try to create music in my work. I would like the effect to be like a song. Most things about my character is some how related to art.
PZ: Have your practice changed over time?
AR: I have evolved over time to the artist I am today. I look at my early works and my work now and I can see where I have advanced particularly with my watercolors. Im much more patient now and im very particular about the paintbrushes I use. I will not paint unless I have to perfect brush for my work.
PZ: Which artists are you most influenced by?
AR: I don’t know if there is any one artist I am influenced the most by. One artist that may have had an early influence on my art and style is Marcel Duchamp, with his “Nude descending a staircase.’ I liked the movement in this particular painting. And you can see that motion in a lot of my paintings. I was also influenced by the cubist paintings of Pablo Picasso and George Braque.
PZ: How would you define art?
AR: Art is a feeling inside that hits people different ways. Its an expression from individuals and even nature itself to leave an impact that will thought provoke your spirt and soul.
PZ: What are you working on now?
AR: Recently the great Cuban Candido Camero passed away at the age of 99. Im currently doing a water color of him.
PZ: How does the pandemic influence your work and sensibility?
AR: Back in March I went to the studio at the Arts Student League to do sculpting and got sick with covid the school is still closed and I have not done a sculpture since. Have been forced to really just paint and in a strange way I think it has made me a more creative painter. One of my last pieces is actually about covid its titled ‘2020 will always be hind site’.