“A ROAD LESS TAKEN FROM CHEMIST TO ARTIST”

 By Maryem Sohail, 

WHO IS ALPHONSO DUNN? 

Alphonso Dunn was born and raised in Jamaica. Emigrated to United States at age 17. Inspired by desires and ambitions  for a career in medicine, completed his bachelors degree in Applied Chemistry at William Paterson University; however his enduring love and everlasting passion for drawing led him to earn a Masters degree in Fine Arts from the New York academy of Arts. After finishings his graduate study he started teaching high school Chemistry and various college art classes. Since then Alphonso has won numerous awards and his work can be found in many private collections in US and worldwide.

SUCCESS AND MORE

He is globally  known for his popular Youtube channel and art instruction books: Pen and Ink Drawing Books: A simple guide covers the fundamentals of pen and ink drawings and more. It explores basic material and instruments, fundamental principles of strokes and pen control, key elements of shading and indispensable techniques for creating vibrant textures.

And secondly his famous Pen and Ink Drawing Workbook is a perfect combination on developing and refining ink drawing skills and techniques for anyone looking for inexpensive practicing techniques. It's appropriate for learners at all levels with 100's of drilled exercises. Anyone can access to his books through Amazon.

He has earned around 787k subscribers on YouTube, 294K misterpenandink on instagram following by many other platforms like pinterest, Twitter and Facebook. 

Moreover he has hosted many selected and Solo exhibitions for people to showcase his artwork such as NJ Emerging Artist Series; Monmouth Museum , Deck the Wall, New York academy of Art and Drawn Truely;Corridor Gallery, Brooklyn NY and many more. 

His collection of awards is countless such as illustrator of Children's Book “Im perfectly different”,“The adventures of Mrs. Pleasent.” «Awarded the 2013 New Jersey Council on the Arts, Artist Fellowship granted of $7900» , furthermore his Artwork featured in “Art Journey” , “500 Tangled Artworks which was A showcase of inspired illustrated designs and many more.” 

HELPING HUMANITY:

He didicates his YouTube channel in helping people expand their understandings of drawing, pen, ink and water colour painting skills and techniques by using mostly canvas paper and canvas panel. His amazing drawing tutorials show you how to make marks on paper and lead you promptly into making drawing of your own.

On his channel you can find lots of free and easy to follow videos and tutorials on a wide range of topics and subjects that provide invaluable tips and tricks and techniques based on the basic principles and elements. 

PARAPHERNALIA OF PERCEPTION

Dunn creates mixed-media  that analyze the power of human:- minds, imaginations, perceptions and languages. The diverse childlike elements and data to execute adult themes allude the dichotomy of real and percieved and attempts to make these extremes to come to the sense of who we are. As we depart from childhood we simultaneously regress back to it some ways. We still play mind games with ourselves and resides in La-La Land but in these grown up version we lose some essential things, keep some and turn others into monters. We seek pleasure in demonstrating children imaginary feets yet we believe in superstitions and ideologies that are far from reality. In fact much of what defines and moves us comes from subjective reality of responses. So like children we still mostly live in the minds and Alphonso tries to picturize that perception of ours.

3 maxims he live by:

1-Be the best you possible

2-Help who you can along the way 

3-Try to leave the world a better place then you saw it.