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"I'm an explorer," explains Fetterman, a Doylestown-based artist. "I went far and wide to discover my own inner self."
In 1988, during a stint in Paris, Fetterman - who previously worked in construction - realized his calling. Growing up in a military family, Fetterman knew all too well the principles of hard work and survival. But he also recognized his innately curious, creative nature with prolific volumes of poetry and music and a degree in philosophy to his credit.
After spending 10 hours in the Louvre, awash in the rich visual landscape, Fetterman emerged with a new conviction. "That's it, I'm an artist," he recalls, on the motivation the world-renowned museum inspired. Upon his return home, he picked up a set of brushes and embarked on a different kind of journey.
Many of his earliest works were plein air paintings, emerging from his easel planted on the sidewalks of Doylestown or in the lush Bucks County countryside. He even acquired a permit to paint on the roof of the courthouse, an endeavor that resulted in the massive "Doylestown at the Turn" displayed in the Doylestown Hospital lobby.
Even now, the "committed life artist" boasts an impressive collection of awards, solo exhibitions and membership in such prominent arts societies as the Philadelphia Sketch Club - all without any formal instruction. And while fine art is his focus, Fetterman places no constraints on his artistic breadth. Sculpture, photography and writing have all have captured his imagination and energy.
Fetterman also dabbles in perhaps an invented medium he's dubbed abstractions: "Abstractions for me are intellectual journeys fused with sensorial capacities reduced and rendered onto a surface. The outcome is an energy-box of personal dimension."
But both his avant-garde sensibilities and more traditional pieces stem from common principles. "I've never really taken the path that others have," Fetterman acknowledges. "But art is not about a technique. It's about the human condition, and you aren't taught that. You have to experience it."
While counting the famed Pennsylvania Impressionists among his influences, Fetterman primarily relies on his lifetime of studying philosophy texts, as well as personal experience when creating. "I paint the persona, that which is important to me and the life I lead," he says. Whether he's painting a wintry Doylestown scene - as captured in "Snow on State Street" - or a woman patiently awaiting a soldier's return in "Weight of War," Fetterman aims to explore more than just the superficial settings captured on his canvas by exposing the emotional undercurrents of his subjects.
"My works are the human condition as I want it to be or as I hope it to be," he says. "I'm always seeking the positive and sharing the beauty."
In July, Fetterman launched the latest venture in his career. He opened the Veranda, a salon-style gallery located at 20 Oakland Ave. His works are featured from floor to ceiling in a space he affectionately refers to as "a place of philosophical exchange."
"People come and we talk about the arts and philosophy," he says.
Today, he creates most of his work indoors, usually in the serene, rustic gristmill he calls his studio. As a father of four, Fetterman has a full slate of family responsibilities in addition to his artistic endeavors. His days may not be filled with jet-setting adventures to exotic locales anymore, but Fetterman says he's at no loss for inspiration. "My exploration now is extracting all that I've done and turning that into art," he says. "My final destination is Bucks County and Doylestown. I want to continue to explore with bright eyes and hope."
Fetterman will be hosting a holiday open house at the Veranda on Dec. 5 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Go online at www.alanfetterman.com