Valerie Allen

Website: www.valerieallenart.com

Area of Operation: Midwest

Valerie Allen is a professional artist residing in Michigan. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Cincinnati and continued her graduate studies in humanities at Central Michigan University. She has taught art at several Midwest colleges including Delta College at University Center, Michigan, Kirtland Community College, Alpena Community College and Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. Her class and workshop topics include "Abstraction Now! A Five Week Online Zoom Class", "The Sky has Limits-Controlling the Chaos of Mixed Media" , "The Secret Garden-A Mixed Media approach to Landscape" and "Explore the Possibilities-Innovations in Acrylics". Valerie has been involved in nonprofit arts management for over 20 years and is the former curator of Studio 23 in Bay City, Michigan. As a Certified Working Artist for Golden Artist Colors, Valerie presents lectures and demos on art materials to an audience of artists and students in the Midwest region of the US. She also hosts events for Golden on Zoom as webinars. Working as a mentor for Mastrius.com based in Calgary, Canada, she guides artists in their creative process through abstract art. Valerie has exhibited art nationally including the Chicago Biennial, New American Drawing Exhibition in Santa Fe, New Mexico and the 18th Annual National Collage Society Exhibit at the Montserrat College of Art, Massachusetts. She was awarded the prestigious Special Award of Merit at the 47th Annual Greater Michigan Art Exhibition juried by Karl Umluaf, Artist in Residence at Baylor University, Texas. She was also included in the exhibition, Heart Rate-The Artistic Pulse of Post-Industrial Michigan at the Buckham Gallery in Flint, Michigan. Her one person exhibit at St. Cecilia Music Center in 2012 included 15 acrylic paintings from her Composer's Campaign Series. Valerie was a finalist in ArtFutura 2013, 2014 and 2016 held in Chicago and curated by James Rondeau-Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Art Institute of Chicago. She has also participated in Artprize.org events in Grand Rapids, Michigan since 2009. Her venues during that event have included the Amway Grand, St. Cecilia Music Center, Cathedral Square and City Water Building. Valerie has juried exhibits in the Midwest, including Anton Art Center’s Michigan Annual XLVIII, Ann Arbor Women Artists Summer Show, Midwest National Abstract Art Exhibition by Indiana’s Southside Art League and was the juror for the 2021 Great Northern International Art Explosion. She has attended artists residencies at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, New Smyrna Beach, Florida, Wave Pool Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio and Sam and Adele Golden Foundation in New Berlin, New York. In 2022 she was an artist in residence at Port Austin Residency program in Michigan and Golden Apple Residency in Maine where she will return this year. Valerie was awarded Great Lakes Bay Region All-Area Arts Award in 2022 for her role as an artist and community leader for the region. Valerie is currently working at her studio at Geisler Enterprises, an artistic and business incubator located in the Stadium District of Midland, MI and at her Ohio based studio located east of Cincinnati. Valerie is the co-host of Art Ladders: The Creative Climb with Valerie Allen and Armin Mersmann Podcast found on Apple Podcast, Spotify or Anchor.fm.

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