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Arts & Entertainment

Artist of the Week: Steve McAllister

Take a peek into the inner workings of some of the area's most creative minds. In the month leading up to Realize Bradenton's October 15, 2011 ArtSlam, Bradenton Patch will feature a local artist each week.

Steve McAllister is the author of The Rucksack Letters, a year-and-a-half travelogue through 26 states, and How to Survive an Estralarian Mind Meld, a comical foray into philosophical science fiction.

For Realize Bradenton’s upcoming ArtSlam on October 15, McAllister is leading a collaborative art project called “The Labyrinth of the Unbroken Path.” Because he works primarily as a writer, words and ideas make-up the structure for The Labyrinth. McAllister has invited artists from Bradenton and Sarasota to make contributions to the project, be they in the form of paint, drawing, music, written word or any other medium.

The project McAlister's attempt to build community and lay a foundation for the future of arts and culture in the greater Manatee-Sarasota area. He continues to extend a welcoming hand to all artists and muses who wish to collaborate. To schedule a time to visit The Labyrinth, contact Steve McAllister by email.

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Name: Steve McAllister.

Contact Info: writetheworld@yahoo.com

Find out what's happening in Bradentonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Studio/Gallery/’Zine info: Inken Soul.

What mediums do you prefer? I don’t necessarily have a preference as long as I get to arrange things in ways that haven’t been done before. I started working primarily with words and that has blended very nicely into film, music and spoken word poetry. I haven’t had as much experience or success with drawing and painting, but I really enjoy sculpture. Being the lead artist on the Labyrinth of the Unbroken Path allows me to play with a little of all of it.

What type of subject matter does your work usually explore? Generally, my work points more toward greater understanding of our fellow man and breaking down those barriers that keep us from our bliss. Coming from a fundamentalist evangelical background and being diagnosed as an adult with ADD, my exploration over the last ten years has been largely about letting go of beliefs while nurturing spirituality and realizing how to use skills and talents that aren’t largely appreciated by a rather insane society.

Artists or individuals who have influenced you: In literary arts, I have been largely influenced by writers like Tom Robbins, whom I deem as the greatest wordsmith who has ever lived, as well as Chuck Palahniuk and Carl Hiassen. Filmmakers like David Fincher and the Coen Brothers have taught me how to tell a good, original story, and musicians like Ben Harper, Matt Corbin and Counting Crows, among many others, have really influenced my musical style. But because a lot of what I do is based largely in the field of philosophical arts, I’ve found an all new medium in the ideas of others. If it weren’t for thought artists like Joseph Campbell, David Hawkins, Steven Covey, don Miguel Ruiz, Wayne Dyer, Siddhartha and the four gospel writers, I wouldn’t be the life artist that I am.

How would you like your art to influence others? I would like it to make them think, and I would like it to make them stop thinking so much. Especially in the case of the Unbroken Path, the point is that although we all have our favorite paradigms or traditions that we grew up with, we’re all going through the same stuff. Basically, I want people to realize that we’re all one, and that we don’t need to be as critical, judgmental or hateful as the unfortunate leaders of our free world would have us believe. In all our religions, myths and folklore, in the end, things turn out for the best, so I hope my art simply helps paint a picture of that so that our life can imitate it.  

What is most appealing about the art scene in Bradenton? From what I have seen of the changes in the Village of the Arts and the facelift to the downtown area, it seems like the stage is set for something very exciting to happen here. The whole Realize Bradenton campaign is just brilliant in its simplicity. The rise of the Creatives is a planetary movement. All the artists in Bradenton have to do is realize who they really are what they really have. I think they’ll find out they have more than they imagine.

Are there any changes you would you like to see in Bradenton’s art scene? I think the ArtSlam is a great step in the right direction. However, just like in Sarasota, I’d like to see more venues accommodate audiences for the local bands.  We have all these really good musicians creating some incredible original music, but they’re relegated to playing in bars and warehouses. If Manasota  would get together in believing in their local performance artists, I think the music scene here could have a huge impact on the community, both culturally and economically.

Where do you look when you need artistic inspiration? Usually, I look at the canvas – whatever it might be. Then I look at what I have to work with. I’ve never been at a lack for artistic inspiration. When I want it to come, I just start playing. It may not always led to “high art” but at least it’s fun to do and interesting to experience.

A word of advice for aspiring artists: Jump.

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