Neal Allen

Pastel | Landscapes, Still-Life, Animals, and Plein Air

Neal Allen’s path to art began unexpectedly. In fourth grade, a childhood illness temporarily took his hearing. Unable to follow the television, he turned to books, and when he had read them, he started copying the illustrations. He was hooked. Though his hearing returned and he pursued music education instead—spending thirty-three years as a public school music teacher—that early love of drawing never left him.

With no budget for bulletin boards or classroom décor, Neal enthusiastically went back to art out of necessity. When his son started school twenty-eight years ago, Neal took his first pastel class. His instructor’s advice was direct: if he wanted to paint in pastels, he needed to learn how to draw. Neal took that to heart, studying with notable pastel artists and working steadily to improve his craft while still teaching full-time.

Now retired and working from his Gorham studio, Neal has found his voice in pastel and, more recently, in watercolor. He gravitates toward landscapes—perhaps because he grew up in the Vermont countryside with family from the coast of Maine. His favorite subjects are moody landscapes from badly printed family photos.

“I love to invent my own skies…and to rely on my memory to add life back into the painting.”

Neal’s work has earned recognition from the Pastel Society of America (where he’s an Associate Member) and numerous regional and national exhibitions. His paintings have been awarded in shows from Old Forge to Palmyra, and he’s had solo exhibitions throughout the Finger Lakes region. But the recognition that matters most to Neal comes from viewers: “Especially with landscapes—’ that reminds me of…’ I think that’s the highest compliment of all.”

Working almost exclusively on sanded paper with soft pastels, Neal strives for saturated colors, a wide range of values, and work that’s as believable as possible. He’s never been one to follow the crowd or chase trends. As he puts it simply: “I love to learn, I love to grow and improve, I love to share with other people.”

Neal lives in the Finger Lakes with his wife, Tracy, continuing to paint and share the gifts he’s been given.