Arts Directory

About

Artist Bio

Hello, my name is Alan Pearsall. I’m a highly creative artist with experience as a successful muralist, artist, illustrator, and teacher. Art has always been a part of my life. I grew up drawing comics in New England and attended art school at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. After a few years in the industry working as a graphic designer and illustrator, I opened my design studio in LA. I moved back east to Boston and now reside in Columbia, SC. I’ve managed my studio, specializing in graphic design, illustration, and large-scale artwork for 25 years. My clients range from large corporations like Gillette, Paramount Pictures, and Disney to local companies like Thomas Creek Brewery and Ebsco Publishing. I have completed many public works large in scale and budget. Private clients and large corporations have commissioned my artwork, and I have done many public murals for nationwide city and state-funded organizations. I am a published author, award-winning illustrator, and accomplished teacher and lecturer. At my studio, I focus on illustration and public art projects and pursue my interest in teaching art. In the future, I aim to expand my portfolio with more large-scale public works and to continue sharing my knowledge through teaching.

Artist Statement

At my studio, I specialize in creating murals and large-scale artwork. Many of my recent murals depict historical subjects. My most significant mural to date, the History of Ipswich, MA Mural, is a detailed, colorful journey through the past 400 years of the town’s history, commissioned by EBSCO Publishing. Painted on an old mill building, the mural is my largest at 2,700 square feet and on brick. I felt deeply honored that the town entrusted me with such a significant, publicly displayed artwork. The weight of this responsibility drove me to research the subject for several months and gain approval from town leaders and the historical society. I take the research for my projects very seriously and understand the responsibility to the community in creating a public work. I believe that a mural should share a welcoming message to visitors from all over the world. It’s important to me to add elements that invite the public to engage. I want my murals to be a celebration of life, telling our stories and our ancestor’s stories of hope and courage that I believe shape us all in a positive way.

For me, the path of learning art never ends. I’m constantly pushing technology and trying new methods to improve my art making. Each new experience prepares me for the next. I have experience working with local governments agencies, architects, interior designers, and art agencies. I believe that having my feet in both the fine art world and the design world keeps my perspectives fresh and unfaded by conventional cliché. Each informs the other, and I am dedicated to this continuous learning process, ensuring that my work is always at the forefront of innovation and quality.

My aspiration is to continue to do public works. I enjoy working large scale and with historical and cultural significance. Long before the Pope hired Michelangelo to paint the images of the Bible on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, murals recorded the human story. The WPA murals of the 1930’s told the history of America in post offices and buildings around the nation. Diego Rivera used murals to tell of Mexico’s past. It is my dream to continue that tradition.