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Way back in October of 1955, at the age of 20, Alan held his first one
man exhibition of his paintings in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The following are quotes from Art Critic reviews of that exhibition.
Mountain Painter
Alan Wolton (20) with his first exhibition, has certainly made an impression
as a South African artist.
He renders mountains in all their moods with great success.
He has handled each theme on its own merits.
Each holds its own separate identity-yet character and personality radiate
from each work.
His work is clear, rich in mood, well seen and very impressive.
He lives a rich experience.

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TRANSVALER Oct 26, 1955

-Big landscape done outdoors-
When a painter of his generation and as young as Alan (20) chooses nature
only as his guide, he shows an unusual independence of outlook and sets himself a Herculean task.
In this case young Wolton also works on a Herculean scale which surprised some who attended his exhibition.
Setting up these huge canvasses out-of-doors is enough, to begin with,
to daunt a more seasoned artist. Alan Wolton has begun bravely.
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THE STAR Oct 20, 1955

- Alan Wolton Exhibition -
Goodness only knows how he manages those huge canvasses.
By the way, why these large canvasses, unless it be the greatness of his
subject impels him to render them on a grand scale.
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RAND DAILY MAIL Oct 22, 1955
Alan's second exhibition produced the following critique:
- Striking oils by young artist -
He impressed with his simplicity, sober balance and interflow of colors.
Wolton has a bright future ahead of him.
"That mature sensitiveness found in great landscape painters may be his
with the passing of years."
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THE FRIEND, BLOEMFONTEIN Nov 11, 1955

Mr. Wolton´s work has increased in color sensitivity.
It has also become somewhat stylized, as is ultimately the destiny of
most painters.
I do, however, hope that 30 year old artist does not stylize too soon,
as the excitement of youthful enthusiasm often produces more stimulating
work than that of phlegmatic maturity.
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THE LOWVELDER Aug 1, 1963
Mr. Wolton handles his paint and color deftly and he is particularly good
in his treatment of water.
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EVENING POST March 17, 1964
- Bright Spot in bleak art year -
The painting shows Wolton as a sensitive interpreter of our landscape,
more particularly as a colorist.
Landscape and seascape alike glow with warm hues.
This is largely due to the skill with which the artist applies his brushstrokes
in some of the paintings the technique comes close to divisionism,
so pure are the colors.
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EVENING POST Aug 16, 1976
As in all of Wolton´s work , real is transformed in realization to a
reality reborn.
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THE NATIONALWITNESS March 8, 1976
This is an artist to be reckoned with in any company, and no doubt
he will achieve a great deal of support from discerning collectors.
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In 1975 Alan and his family spent 90 days in London painting
British cathedrals such as St. Magnus the Martyr, St. Edmund the
King and St. Mary- le Strand.
Following this Alan wrote and illustrated four articles in the "Artist"
(British Pitman)
August 1975 "Painting churches in London"
October 1975 "Brilliant Light"
December 1975 "Painting in Sunshine"
February 1976 "Wondrous Water"
Moving to The United States
In August of 1982 Mr. Wolton relocated with his family to a little scenic
town, Sedona, Arizona in the U.S.A . Mr. Wolton often expresses that:
"Changing continents at the age of 48 was the toughest experience
I have ever undertaken.
While galleries and art dealers were impressed with my work they
were more interested in locally established names.
I could get little more than the comment, "I love your accent! "

Expensive full color publicity is the American way.
Two years of monthly full page reproductions of Mr. Wolton´s paintings
were published in South West Art Magazine.
A full feature by William Howard in South West Art was published in
December 1983.
At about the same time Jim Clark launched "The Society of American Impressionists"
and took Mr. Wolton in as one of the founder members.
January 1985 Southwest Art Showcased Mr. Wolton´s "Hualapai
Hilltop Havasupai" in their Arizona Galleries, "A collection of Great
American Works"
May 1985 Southwest Art Showcase of Impressionism Mr. Wolton´s
"Jade Cove", "California" 48*60, 1986 Exhibition Scottsdale Invitational
.

May/June 1986 Feature "Western Art Digest" by Donna Leonard
"Indeed, it is difficult to find more fitting description of Wolton´s
work than "delicious".
His powerful, pure color applied with that masterful touch would
surely be the "House specialty" on any menu.
And, not surprisingly, the freshness and excitement of his paintings
whet the appetite and leave you wanting more.
September 1987. Mr. Wolton participated and lectured at "Art on the Edge"
on the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
July 1988 Kenwood Vineyards used Mr. Wolton´s painting "Montana de
Oro" on their Artist's series 1984 Cabernet Sauvignon.
April 1992 Oil Painters of America bestows Honor on Mr. Alan Wolton
"For an outstanding contribution to the enrichment of American culture
in the form of representational oil painting.
In recognition and sincere appreciation of the charter signature members
of Oil Painters of America for their participation.
Jackson Hensley, renown artist and gallery owner wrote:
Alan continues to embark on the road to immortality through his dynamic
and masterful works.
Alan's talent and genius has led him to become one of the greatest
landscape painters of our era. There are very few artists who have
maintained such a high degree of integrity or who have challenged
themselves the way Alan has. Scale color and quality are definitely
his trademark.
Alan's credentials are impressive to say the least.
He has been accepted in London by the Royal Academy, the Royal
Society of Oil Painters, and in France by the Paris Salon.
Since arriving in the United States Alan has made a huge impact on
the art world creating a whole new school of thought especially noticeable
in the current Taos school.
Since living in this country Alan has become a charter member of
the Plein Air Painters of the Northern California, the Society of
American Impressionists and the Oil Painters of America.
November 1993. Full feature in The Santafean Magazine,
Alan Wolton Artist by Wolf Schneider:
"One doesn't just paint nature, one reshuffles nature." Alan commented,
sipping his juice.
"One should mix one's brain with one's paint".
His paintings offer vibrant and detailed impressions of water, trees,
flowers, rivers,mountains and branches.
Their reds, whites, oranges, greens and yellows glisten, luxuriant and
wet-looking.
It´s as if the painter finished his work, and then a summer rainstorm
swept through, brightening them with crystalline light.
The approach is classical, traditional, but the color use is outstanding.
"I've found it works better for the galleries to present a mythical sort of figure,"
he said.
I choose to operate almost totally alone and apart. I do my bit, it´s for
the people to respond to that."
January 1996. Feature in The Santa fean: Alan Wolton,
The Power of Love and Intensity by Shirley Bevhens;
"If I have an obsession in my art, it is to bring a feeling of warmth into
the heart of the viewer, to produce a painting with such tremendous
appeal that is not judged, it is felt, "; he says.
Wolton prefers that people view his paintings in a subdued light
rather than a spotlight.
"A successful picture comes in more differently than with more feeling, more emotion", he says.
"The light in the paintings shows through"
Wolton is pleased to have reached age 70 and to have matured both
mentally and artistically.
He recalls an incident that brings the importance of that feat to light.
When he was in his twenties, a collector approached Wolton at an art
show and said:
"I have a lot of paintings I have collected for many years.
How can I buy a painting of a 25- year-old? I'll be dead before you are mature"
While we don´t know if that collector is dead, Wolton´s paintings are alive
and well and lovingly hang throughout the world.
He's transplanted Westerner with an accent that reveals his British
birthplace. Rarely speaking casually, and some times outspoken and
candid, Alan Wolton is a staunch individualist who has traveled and
lived the world over pursuing the beauty of landscapes. He's a poet with
a paintbrush. Once you've studied an Alan Wolton canvas, you understand
how he moves your eye from point to point, creating a motion with color
and form that a peaceful landscape alone cannot.
Mood is the key - all else springs from it, and color dictates and
predominates over form. Wolton´s is a startling, refreshing approach -
the powerful impressionist style which is characteristic of his work today
was formed after eschewed the expressionism and cubism prevailing in
the art schools of his youth. Using very few, very pure colors,
Alan allows the brilliance and vitality of the pigments
to shine out. This "pristine color", as he calls it, creates in viewer a desire
to see more.
Whether it's a seascape from the California coast, a riotously colored
canyon from near his northern Arizona home, or a richly toned high
country vision, Alan Wolton´s work underscores his ethic:
"I am a man of outdoors. I enjoy the wilds. I enjoy the fury of the nature.
My works will always be depicting nature," he says with his usual
effervescence.
How lucky we are to reap the benefits of his vision.
Today aged 75 , Mr Wolton, while not abandoning his landscape, is
fully evolved painting studies of Venice it's canals and architecture.
Water Lilly studies are also a large part of his subject matter.