Born in England in 1938, Alan Burden has lived in Mijas, Malaga since 1983. He studied Art and Design in Painting and Lithography. He then studied Art Education at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, receiving a Diploma in Art Education. From 1967 to 1983 he taught Art in the English Education System. Throughout this time he constantly exhibited as an artist. Since his move to Spain in 1983 he has been a fulltime professional painter.
"My paintings, usually employing acrylic or watercolour paints with a subtle underlay of relief and more loosely applied texture, cover several areas of subject matter. My prime interest, however, is in the forms derived from mountainous landscapes. In consequence, although a native of southern England, my earlier works were taken from the Highlands of Scotland and the wilder parts of north east England. Since taking up residence in Mijas, Andalucía, my works have all been centered on the wonders of Spanish landscape.
My paintings are figurative, indeed of specific places, but my work, containing as it does geometrical symbols and using a form of perspective close to the oriental method, moves very much towards the abstract. My concern with Gestalt ideas on perception cause me to search for the abstract fundamentals within the figurative framework of my paintings. Although by no means a minimalist, I nevertheless pare away those images that I consider to be of secondary importance to the comprehension of the image.
I have exhibited widely on the Costa del Sol and in England, as well as in America, Holland, Portugal, Germany and some of the major cities throughout Spain."
