Allen Sangree: connecting to nature through art
Losing an election turned out to be one of the best things to happen to Allen Sangree.
After retiring from a lifetime career specializing in commercial construction and renovation, the former Harrisburg, Pa., resident settled in Milton with his wife, the painter Allison Sangree.
Allen volunteered his expertise in the industry by serving on the town’s planning and zoning commission and board of adjustment, and ran for town council in 2021.
“I lost by 11 votes,” he said. “I was going to do art or politics. I’m happier to do art.”
As benefactors of his work in sculpture, his family and friends undoubtedly agree. Since then, Allen has been perfecting his skill in faux bois, a French technique used to create furniture, planters and structures from rebar, wire mesh frames and concrete.
The outer concrete layers are texturized to have the appearance of wood; in French, faux bois means false wood. The technique is considered an old-world craft in which artisans create imitations of wood in various media. Allen noted with a smile that his name Sangree is also French.
“It’s a unique way to bring nature into your house. You can do anything and get away with it because with nature, anything goes,” Allen said of his one-of-a-kind pieces.
Allen’s father was an architect in Philadelphia, and he was expected to enter the family business. However, Allen had different plans; by 10th grade he was skipping school to work for a demolition company. His boss paid him in cigarettes and beer.
“I was out of the box in terms of my parents’ expectations,” he smiled, but recalled another time in 10th grade when he created a sculpture of a hockey player. His art teacher bought it from him for $8. “I never forgot that.”
The Sangree home on Union Street is vibrant; Allison’s paintings brighten the walls, while Allen’s whimsical creations rest on shelves, peek from shrubbery or, in the case of a butler sculpture the couple christened Charles Cobbsworth III, it stands at attention holding an antique silver tea service and faux grapes.
“I major in quirky stuff,” he laughed.
So, when neighbor Ken Brittingham needed help saving his 150-year-old wisteria, he called on Allen. The backyard wisteria was spreading out, not up, and needed supports to refocus its growth.
Allen devised an idea to create a grouping of faux bois trees to envelop and hold the wisteria. He wrapped chicken wire around steel rebar, poured concrete inside and filled the outside. Using a mold that looks like tree bark, he pressed it into the wet concrete to create the appearance of cherry trees.
The 14-foot-tall structure took about 120 hours to create and weighs at least a ton, Allen estimated. It has been named “Dance of the Trees.”
“It’s been fun,” Sangree said. “Ken is a motivator, an encourager and a visionary.”
Allen has never sold any of his creations; they have all been used to fill his home or to present as gifts.
“It’s just something I enjoy doing,” he said. “It’s fun.”
With some persuasion from Allison, the Brittinghams and this reporter, he offered an email address so that anyone interested in purchasing or commissioning a work of art could contact him. Reach Allen at sangreecreations@gmail.com.
