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Go see the documentary My Name is Alan and I Paint Pictures, starting September 19th, 2007 at the Pioneer Theater!

Alan's been drawing since he was 3 or 4, and when he saw Salvador Dalí's "Metamorphosis of Narcissus" at the age of 10, he knew that's what he wanted to do the rest of his life. He was a wild child that used to frequently get drunk and sniff glue, and even after being accepted to the prestigious St. Martin's School of Arts, he immediately dropped out to paint leather jackets, and soon after he moved from England to New York. But what begins as the typical struggling artist story becomes a very interesting look at a man battling schizophrenia and finding release through his art as well as physical activities like boxing.

What I love about this documentary is how much access it gives us to Alan's art. Even the brief animation snippets in between the interviews utilize characters from Alan's paintings. Director Johnny Boston takes what could have been a very boring observation of Alan at work and infuses it with life and character. And in perhaps the most touching sequence, Boston shows Alan interacting with an ex-girlfriend, and then with his current girlfriend. We learn that his ex was unable to handle his intense need to stay at home all the time. We learn that at this point in his life, Alan wants to concentrate on his work, but that he still needs women in his life for sex and good cooking. We reflect that to some extent, this is universally true.

There is something archetypal at work here. I understand that every painter has different experiences, but I was shocked to find how precisely Alan embodies what making art has always been like for me. Alan's story continues past this documentary. He is still struggling to obtain his Green Card. He is in danger of being deported. And after seeing the documentary, I really believe we need Alan here in New York. He's the real thing.