Alma Allen & J.B. Blunk: In Conversation

Alma Allen and J.B. Blunk: In Conversation presents an encounter between two California-based artists who never met, yet their work shares a deep affinity in material and sensibility. Alma Allen (born 1970), a contemporary sculptor and designer, and J.B. Blunk (1926–2002), whose work encompassed ceramics, furniture, and sculpture in redwood and cypress, are the subjects of this publication.

Both Blunk and Allen designed their own homes and studios, as well as many of the furnishings and objects within them. Their work blurs the line between design and sculpture, with both men creating evocative organic work from natural materials, inspired by the nature outside of their remote studios.

This first publication on both of these artists' work, Alma Allen and J.B. Blunk: In Conversation, stages an impossible meeting between two kindred spirits, grounded in a shared exploration of the materials, processes, and sites of art making.

Alma Allen's sculptural work is characterized by a deep engagement with the inherent qualities of the materials she uses, such as wood, stone, and metal. Her pieces often take on biomorphic forms that seem to emerge organically from the raw material, reflecting a sensitivity to the natural world. Allen's design sensibility is equally evident in her furniture and objects, which combine a minimalist aesthetic with a tactile, handcrafted quality.

Like Allen, J.B. Blunk's practice was rooted in a profound respect for natural materials and processes. His redwood and cypress sculptures, as well as his ceramic vessels and functional furniture, evince a reverence for the unique characteristics of the materials he worked with. Blunk's pieces often displayed a rough-hewn, elemental quality, evoking the ancient and the primordial.

Both Allen and Blunk designed their own living and working spaces, creating environments that seamlessly integrated their artistic practices with their daily lives. Allen's home and studio in the mountains of Twentynine Palms, California, and Blunk's secluded compound in Inverness, California, are physical manifestations of their shared aesthetic sensibilities and philosophies.

The publication Alma Allen and J.B. Blunk: In Conversation brings these two artists together, despite the fact that they never had the opportunity to meet in person. Through essays, interviews, and visual documentation, the book explores the parallels and connections between their artistic visions, and the ways in which their work resonates with a deep appreciation for the natural world and the transformative potential of materials.

By staging this imagined dialogue, the publication acknowledges the affinities between Allen and Blunk, while also recognizing the unique qualities and trajectories of their individual artistic practices. The book serves as a testament to the enduring power of art to transcend the barriers of time and place, and to bring together kindred spirits in a shared pursuit of creative expression.

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