Alan Flattmann

Alan Flattmann Biography

A native of New Orleans, award-winning artist Alan Flattmann has established a career as a well-known pastel artist. While he works in a variety of mediums, Flattmann is often recognized for his pastel pieces and is a member of both the Pastel Society of America’s Hall of Fame and Masters Circle of the International Association of Pastel Societies. 

After more than forty years in the business, Flattmann has published three books, including “The Art of Pastel Painting,” which many consider the definitive guide to pastels. Aside from his own books, Flattmann’s work is also featured in several art books and magazines, including American Artist, The Pastel Journal, Pastel Artist International, Watercolor, Southwest Art and Pratique des Arts.

Flattmann’s work has also been featured in more than 60 solo exhibitions and several group exhibitions around the world, but he now calls Louisiana's Northshore area home.

Alan Flattmann Resumé

The following CHRONOLOGY is an abbreviated review of Flattmann’s career: 

1946              Born in New Orleans, La

1964-1967    Studied at John McCrady School of Art in the French Quarter.  
         
1970              First major solo exhibition, "Portrait of a Jazz Funeral" at the Downtown Gallery,
                      New Orleans, LA.    
                      Solo museum exhibition - Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, Laurel, MS

1973 - 1974   Awarded Elizabeth T. Greenshields Memorial Foundation Grant.  Lived and painted
                      in Barbados, West Indies.  Painted primarily in oils and watercolors - began
                      transition to pastels as favorite medium.

1975 - 2010   First exhibition with Bryant Galleries.  Annual solo shows in various BG locations - 
                      New Orleans, Jackson, Birmingham, Dallas, Atlanta & Palm Beach.

1980              Commissioned to travel to Israel and Egypt to produce large series of  
                       paintings for Bryant Galleries.

1981              Publication of The Poetic Realism of Alan Flattmann by Joyce Kelly.  
                      The book featured paintings of New Orleans, Barbados and the rural South.
                      First featured in Who's Who in American Art and every year since.

1982              Solo Exhibition at the Oklahoma Arts Center, Oklahoma City, OK.

1985              "Best of Show" - Kansas Pastel Society National Exhibition.
                      Traveled and painted in Greece collecting material for future shows.

1987              Publication of The Art of Pastel Painting by Alan Flattmann.    
                      Exhibited in Salon International Du Pastel - Paris, France.

1991              Awarded Master Pastelist designation, Pastel Society of America.  
                      Traveled and painted in Guatemala collecting material for future shows.

1996              The American Artist magazine’s Art Masters Teacher Award for Pastel.

2002              Publication of Alan Flattmann’s French Quarter Impressions by  
                      John Kemp (Pelican Pub.).
                      Sept. 28, 2002 proclaimed Alan Flattmann Day by Mayor of New Orleans.

2004              "Best of Show" - Eighth Biennial Nat. Exhibit, Pastel Society of N. Florida. 
                      
2006              Inducted into the Pastel Society of America’s Hall of Fame at the 
                       National Arts Club in New York City.  
                       Paintings selected from the PSA’s 34th Annual Exhibition and shown at
                       the Butler Institute of American Art. 

2007              Inducted into the Master Circle of the IAPS 
                      IAPS International Exhibition – "Gold Award."
                      Publication of revised edition The Art of Pastel Painting.

2008              Paintings featured in the International Pastel Festival Exhibition of 
                      The Pastellists Society of France – Feytiat, France

2009              "Joseph V. Giffuni Memorial Award" -  Pastel Society of America. 
                      "Visual Artist of the Year,"  St. Tammany Parish President’s Arts Award.

2010               Featured in reference books:  Best of America Pastel Artists &   
                       Best of Worldwide Artists

2011               New Gallery Afflilations:
                       Windsor Fine Art in New Orleans.  
 
2012               Solo exhibitions at the Art Associates of Lake Charles Gallery in Lake Charles and
                       Barnwell Art Center, Shreveport, Louisiana.
 
2013               Solo exhibition at Windsor Fine Art in New Orleans,
                       Pastel Society of America Award in Honor of Flora B. Giffuni,
                       Paintings featured in the Pastel Painters of Spain International Salon Exhibition, Oviedo, Spain.     
 
2014              Publication of An Artist's Vision of New Orleans: The Paintings of Alan Flattmann
                      A member of  the American delegation of pastel artists invited  to take part in the 1st China Biennial International Pastel Art                            Exhibition and Symposium in Suzhou, China.

BOOKS FEATURING ALAN FLATTMANN'S WORK

Kemp, John.  An Artist's Vision of New Orleans: The Paintings of Alan Flattmann, Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Co. 2014
 
Tarbet, Urania Christy.  Dare to Dream, pp. 158-161, Polack Pines, CA, Amazon/Createspace 2013.

A Unique Slant of Light: The Bicentennial History of Art in Louisiana, p.260, edited by Michael Sartisky Ph.D, Richard Gruber Ph.D & John Kemp, Published by Louisiana Endownment for the Arts, 2012
 
Kipp, Kathryn. Art Journey America: LANDSCAPES. pp. 52-53, Cincinnati, Ohio, North Light Books, 2012

Best of Worldwide Artists Working in Charcoal, Pastel, & Pencil.  pp. 59-60, Williamsburg, VA: Kennedy Publishing, 2010
 
Best of America Pastel Artists. pp.67-68, Williamsburg, VA:  Kennedy Publishing 2009
 
Richeson, Jack.  My Friends, Today's Great Masters. Edited by Maggie Price.  pp. 36-39, The Jack Richeson Fine Art Series 2007
 
Flattmann, Alan. The Art of Pastel Painting. New York: Watson Guptill Publications, (1987, '90, '91, '92)    Revised Edition. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Co. 2007
 
Pure Color: The Best of Pastel, pp.106 & 119, Cincinnati, OH: Northlight Books 2006
 
100 ways to paint FAVORITE SUBJECTS, p. 30, Chatswood, Australia: International Artist Publishing, Inc. 2004
 
Kemp, John,  Alan Flattmann's French Quarter Impressions,  Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Co. 2002
 
King, Jennifer.  Expressing the Visual Language of the Landscape.  pp. 74-81, "Capturing Character", Chatswood, Australia: International Artists Publishing 2002
 
The Best of Pastel 2, p.57, Gloucester, MA: Rockport Publishers 1998
 
Chen, Aven.  Paint How You See and See What You Paint.  pp. 40, 41, 53, 54, 62, 79, 82, 89, 90, 94, 99, 107, 108, 122, 123, 129, 130,  Taiwan: New Image Publishing 1997
 
Chen, Aven.  Pastel Step by Step.  pp. 109-111, Taiwan: 1995
 
Kelly, Joyce.  The Poetic Realism of Alan Flattmann.  Jackson, MS: A.C.M. Publishing 1981
 
 

MAGAZINE ARTICLES FEATURING ALAN FLATTMANN'S WORK

Kemp, John R.,  "Alan Flattmann: Nuances of Light", Plein Air.  May 2013, pp. 38-42.
 
“Portfolio Pastellistes du monde entire 1 partie”,  Pratique Des Arts.  June 2010 p. 33.

Hevener, Anne, “The French Connection,” The Pastel Journal.  February 2009 pp. 48-55.

Editors, “Alan Flattmann,” American Artist.  July/Aug. 2007 pp.14-15.

Kemp, John, “Alan Flattmann: Controlling Paint Application for Better Results,” American Artist Workshop. 
Winter 2007 pp.100-113.

Carsten, Robert, “Hallowed Hall,” The Pastel Journal.  February 2007, p. 8.

Flattmann, Alan, “Heightened Atmosphere,” The Pastel Journal. June 2006, pp. 58-59.

Creevy, Bill, “Alan Flattmann Deals with Katrina – a summer of too many storms,” PSA Pastelagram. Winter 2006, pp.8-11.

Moore, Joanne, “The Best Souvenir,” Artist’s Sketchbook.  Feb. 2005 pp. 34 -39.
 
Loraine Crouch, "From the Editor," The Pastel Journal.  Oct. 2004, p.3

Price, Maggie,  "Workshop Instructors Tell All,”  The Pastel Journal. June 2004 pp.42-43.

Landry, Jamey,   “Jazzing with Pastels,” Inside Northside.  Ap.-May 2004 Cover & pp.18-19
 
Editors, “Alan Flattmann,” The Pastel Journal.  April 2004 pp. 20-21.

Paisner, Claire, “Book Review – Alan Flattmann’s French Quarter Impressions,”  PSA Pastelagram.  Winter 2003 p. 20.

Kemp, John, “Alan Flattmann’s Vieux Carre Impressions,” Cultural Vistas Summer.  2002 pp. 41 – 49.

Price, Linda, “Painting an Old City in a New Way,” Watercolor. Summer 2001 pp.57 -63.

Price, Linda, “Selecting a Surface,” American Artist.  Feb. 2001 Cover & pp. 48-53.

Price, Maggie, “Alan Flattmann,” The Pastel Journal. Jan./ Feb. 2000.

Editors, "Special Awards Issue", Pastel Artist International.  Nov./Dec. 2000 pp. 8 & 13
 
Flattmann, Alan, “Impressions of the City,” Pastel Artist International. Aug., Sept., Oct. 1999 pp.44-52.

Editors, “Alan Flattmann,” Art Masters (American Artist Pub.). 1996 pp. 47-49.

Flattmann, Alan, “Combining Sketching & Watercolor Painting,” Watercolor.  Winter 1995 pp. 82 -87.

Kemp, John, “Alan Flattmann: Pastel Poet,” New Orleans Magazine. April 1987 pp. 24 – 27.

Burton, Marda, “Alan Flattmann Among Unknown Men,” New Orleans Magazine. July 1981 pp. 54-56.

Burton, Marda, “Alan Flattmann No Subject too Common,” Southwest Art.  Sept. 1980 pp.78-85.

Editors, “Alan Flattmann Painting a Poetic Realism,” Southern World. Dec. 1980 p.6.

Marshall, Keith “Alan Flattmann’s Reflections of the South,” American Artist. July 1979 pp. 56-59 & pp. 104-109.