Biography

I was born in Alton, Illinois a Mississippi river town. This is where I started to developed my talent and passion for painting. I got my start by painting on billboard signs, canvas, and t-shirts.
I relocated to Minneapolis, MN. in 1976 The City of St. Paul used one of my paintings for their Christmas card in 1978. That same year I also had a painting featured on the cover of The Minnesota Tour Guide. After a few years in the commercial art business I realized this was not the reason I became a painter.

"He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart, is an artist." - St Francis of Assisi

I made the decision to only paint fine art on my own time and found work elsewhere. One of my fine art paintings was used for the cover of the Amazon River Boys album, and the vice president of the Mn. arts board has three of my paintings in his private collection!

I currently have a painting in the 'I Have The Right Exhibition" at the University of California presented and mounted by the 'I Have the Right' Exhibit at PICTURE Cultural Art...Here is that
link..... http://www.pictureartfoundation.org/
I have had several one man exhibitions.
The Agora Gallery in New York is now officially representing me. and I had my first New York exhibition June 12/12----July 3rd/2012 http://www.agora-gallery.com/artistpage/allen_jones.aspx

August 2012 my work will be featured in International Contemporary Masters Volume Six. Here is that link....http://wwab.us/
Contact Grant Conzaman...- Assistant Curator
World Wide Art Books,INC
5383 Hollister Ave, # 260

A little bit about my work (Beyond Abstract)
Some of my paintings have a specific orientation and some of them can be hung from any angle, and some of my art can be hung from the corners as well.My paintings are based on what I see in nature but instead of copying it I try to capture the
essence or feeling of the moment, and some of them are an attempt to convey a feeling or experience that I have lived through.

It is my hope that my art engages the viewers mind and makes a connection to something that they have seen or experienced. As I paint I look for that delicate balance between too much information and just enough, where a persons own imagination becomes an integral part. I believe art can and should be the vehicle and catalyst to that world!

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A little bit about my technique
Starting very loose with oil paints, and with a very liberal application I paint sometimes with no particular subject in mind, and only the relationship I have with the paint and the canvas is important at that time. And then at some point in that process the canvas begins to speak to me and tell me what to do. Through my art I hope to make a connection with many different people on many different levels.
My website. http://www.abstractpaintingsbyallen.com/
My you tube site with demos http://www.youtube.com/user/allenzart?feature=results_main

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