Artwork copyright Alan McNiel. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Alan McNiel. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission.

Mona Lisa, 2000

Alan McNiel
(American, born 1955)

Location: Browne Elementary School, Spokane

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Mona Lisa is a painting by artist Alan McNiel. He created areas of texture using sandpaper and an x-acto knife. He then filled in detail using pen and colored pencil. It is part of his body of whimsical paintings featuring porcupines. If you look carefully, you will see that there are also two dogs. He notes, "Porcupines became my star animals because they're so much fun to draw. All those quills, their rotund shapes, and their ability to stand upright make them obvious candidates for activities like juggling and playing the cello." Fun fact: a baby porcupine is called "porcupette."

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Spokane School District.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Alan McNiel is a Montana-based artist. He created ceramic pottery and sculpture for over twenty years before he turned to a focus on painting. His paintings often focus on nature, animals, and rural communities.
McNiel received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colorado State Univeristy at Fort Collins in 1978. He received a Master of Arts degree from the University of Montana in 1987. He has served as an art instructor at Colorado State Univeristy and Lewis & Clark College (in Portland, Oregon) North Idaho Extension program.