Leslie Allen was born in Alamogordo NM, and spent her childhood along the Rio Grande in El Paso, TX. As a late teen, she moved to San Diego, CA, and while working as a federal courtrioom clerk, she studied graphic arts and pre-law. She held her first solo exhibit of watercolor paintings at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse.
San Francisco's rich art history and education opportunties lured her to move, and while working as a paralegal at Lucasfilm, Ltd., she was surrounded by its burgeoning art collection. That period registered as pivotal in her creative life. Over the ensuing years of art studies and mentoring, her work evolved from tender, tight watercolors to vibrant landscapes, gestural figures, and ultimately to large format expressive and often lyrical abstracts in oil. Allen credits master painter, teacher and friend, Chester Arnold, for inspiring her switch to oil painting.
Allen studied anatomy, design, figure painting, and cartooning at the Academy of Art, and aquatint etching at Crown Point Press, both in San Francisco. She uses her intaglio press mostly for monoprints that are uniquely kin to her paintings, and as part of her collage-making process. Allen's study of advanced anatomy helped her to hone her drawing skills that in turn fuel her confident mark-making and objective abstractions.
Leslie Allen also studies cello and plays in the College of Marin Symphony Orchestra, Kentfield CA. She regards her painting and music as deeply entwined.
Leslie Allen's ignition was brilliant, and the subsequent years of work have continued to amaze and delight lovers of high-octane abstraction.
~ Chester Arnold, Bay area painter of narrative illusions
Leslie Allen mentors artists of all ages, and offers lessons and workshops in her ICB Studio 300A in the Marinship district on Sausalito's waterfront.
