Thomas Allen

I am a career artist, freelance illustrator, 'gentleman farmer' and distance runner. I earned a BFA from Wayne State University (Detroit) and an MFA from the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis). Represented by Foley Gallery in New York, my work has been exhibited and published nationally and internationally. Permanent collections include the Muse... um of Fine ArtsHouston, The Milwaukee Art Museum, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Target Corporation, Fidelity Investments, Microsoft, the Progressive Corporation and Twitter. Serving as both educator and visiting artist, I've lectured extensively about my work and taught a variety of photography courses and workshops across the country. Highlights include the University of Minnesota, Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (MI), Penland School of Crafts (NC), AIGA Austin Design Ranch (TX) and Los Angeles Center of Photography. In 2007, Aperture Foundation (NY) published UNCOVERED: Photographs by Thomas Allen with a foreword written by renowned book cover designer Chip Kidd. In addition to personal work, I've spent the last 10 years creating editorial illustrations for over 50 different publications world-wide including The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, OUT, Le Monde, National Geographic and The Wall Street Journal. In 2007, I won a SPOTS Gold Award from The Society of Publication Designers and was nominated for an American Illustration Award in 2014both for my work in Harper's. I live with my wife, daughter and a bevy of animals on a 4.5 acre farm in Colomaa rural community in southwest Michigan.Read More