bio

Laura Allen is a visual artist, writer, and instructor living in Seattle, Washington. She attended university at Stetson University in Florida (majoring in Biology and English Literature) and University of North Texas (majoring in Visual Art.) She currently works primarily in paint, collage, drawing, and mixed media.

Laura is also an actively publishing writer, workshop instructor, and enthusiastic arts advocate. Her visual art has been featured in numerous exhibitions, and her poetry and other writing has appeared in numerous regional and national journals. She has worked in diverse literary positions as well, from adjunct creative writing instructor to editor-in-chief of a bimonthly arts magazine.

Recently, her visual art has appeared in juried exhibits at Ryan James gallery in Seattle, Schack Art Center in Everett, and Verum Ultimum gallery in Portland. Her last solo show was held by Virago Gallery of Seattle.

Her poetry has also appeared numerous journals, including Pontoon, Tinderbox, and S/tick. She won the 2017 Auburn Arts Fest open mic competition reading from her recently published chapbook, "The Quiet Year."

She is currently the host and producer of the arts podcast Original Lines, and the owner of Two Ponies Press.

She lives in West Seattle with her husband Philip. Her studio is located in Seattle's Inscape Arts building in Sodo.

selected visual art exhibitions

2018

Intersection of Math + Art Schack Art Center (juried exhibition)
Visual Impressions Ryan James Gallery (juried exhibition)
High in Fiber Era Living/Ida Culver House (juried exhibition)

2017

Our Daily Armor 3 Virago Gallery, Seattle (invitational)

2016

Intelligent Life: Laura Allen Twilight Gallery, Seattle, WA (solo exhibition)
Abstract Catalyst Verum Ultimum Gallery, Portland, OR (juried exhibition)
Atypical Topographies Juried Exhibition, Cloyde Snook Gallery, Adams State, CO (juried exhibition)
World On Fire: Abstract Paintings from the Pacific Northwest (four-person exhibition) Chase Gallery, Spokane, WA

2015

Abstract Catalyst Verum Ultimum Gallery, Portland, OR (juried exhibition)
Arts on the Terrace Montlake Terrace, WA (juried exhibition)

2012

Annual Juried Student Exhibition, CAVD, University of North Texas, Denton, TX

2010

El Corazon Juried Invitational, BathHouse Cultural Center, Dallas, TX
Forms Found: New Works by Rolando Saenz & Laura F. Walton, Croft Art Gallery, Waco, TX

2009

Arthouse III Invitational, Waco, TX

2008

Female/Female Juried city-wide Vday exhibition, Waco, TX

2007

Arthouse II Invitational, 522 Herring, Waco, TX
Reused, Reclaimed, Recycled Juried Exhibition, Firehouse Gallery, Fort Worth, TX
Arthouse I Invitational, 2525 Washington, Waco, TX

2006

New Works: Laura F. Walton, Waco Civic Theatre, Waco, TX
Reagan’s Children Collective Invitational, Waco, TX
Invited Artist & Demonstrator, Waco Cultural Arts Fest, Waco, TX
Point of View Juried Exhibition, Barnes & Noble, Austin, TX
Perspectives CAS Juried Member Show, Austin Comm. College, Austin, TX
New Geometries Beatnix Coffeehouse, Waco, TX
CAS Member Show- Chase Bank Corridor of Art, Austin, TX
Austin Visual Art Assoc. Juried Exhibition, Austin, TX
"Writes of Spring” Invitational, Southside, Dallas, TX
40th Annual FACET Juried Show, Austin, TX

selected press

Interview on KKNW's ArtBeat NW with Pat Pauley, January 2018
"Poets take honors in open mic contest“ Auburn Report, August 16, 2017
Laura Walton: Ticking Hearts & Blooming Cogs” (feature profile in Bohemia Journal of the Arts) July 2011
“It's art, but still a living” (featured as one of five professional artists, Waco Tribune Herald) April 2011
“Waco Artists Share How They Find the Creative Spark” (Waco Tribune Herald) March 2011
“Multimedia Improves 'Anne Frank'” (critical review of a Waco Civic Theatre production on which I was scenic painter, Waco Tribune Herald) February 2010
“Women take center stage” (critical review of “The Vagina Monologues” of which I was producer/coordinator, Waco Tribune Herald) March 2008
“Art with your coffee” (coverage of “Art Lady” curatorial activities for local coffeehouses) August 2006
“Working in 3-D” (Waco Tribune Herald) May 2007
“Beatnix second anniversary boasts creativity, coffee” (article covering art coordination, Baylor Lariat) September 2007

selected publications

poetry

first prize Auburn Literary Fest's Open Mic contest, judged by Robert Lashley, Marjorie Rommel, and David Horowitz
"The Quiet Year" chapbook, published April 2017 Two Ponies Press
"Fate Machine" Pontoon (Floating Bridge Press) 2015
"Andromeda" Tinderbox (December 2014)
"The Dream" Dream & Nightmares (Vol. 100, 2014)
"GirlsGirlsGirls" and "Peeling Sweet Potatoes" s/tick (Summer 2014)
"Hierarch" Strange Horizons (June 2014, also featured in Strange Horizon June podcast, read by Julia Rios)
"Cento for a Lightman" Heyday Magazine (April 2014)
"The Grace of What Comes After" Bohemia Journal of the Arts (August 2012)
"Space Traveler" Bohemia Journal of the Arts (July 2011, also nominated for Bohemia Poetry Award (2012))
"Seed" First Place in Croft Gallery/Waco Tribune Herald Poetry Contest, and also appeared in exhibit catalog for sculptor T.J. Mabry's "Seed and Pods" traveling exhibit
"It's Hot in Here" and "A Memory" Glitterpony (Issue 10, 2010)
"The Sycamore Said" Poetry Depth Quarterly (March 2007)
"Seven Songs of Goneril" and "A Wanting" Tex! magazine (Spring 2006)
"The Day Aunt Peg Went Crazy and Left for Good" and "Practical Solution" (finalists for Dallas Poet's Community's national poetry contest 2005)
"Practical Solution" from Dallas Poet's Community (2005)
"Americana: On the Night of the Bombing in Madrid" Bathtub Gin (March 2005)
"Topsoil" Concho River Review (March 2005)
"Full Moon in Winter" Ship of Fools (October 2004)
"Purpose" Odyssey Journal of Literary Arts (received Honorable Mention in the journal's annual poetry contest, 1999)
"Guilty" from Odyssey Journal of Literary Arts (won second prize in the journal's annual poetry contest, 1998)

other

"Astrochick" regular syndicated astrology column in Astrowhat, La Casa Negron and Sasstrology (2007-2008)
"Three Sculptors” The City Review, September 2007
"Straighten Up and Fly Right" Odyssey Journal of Literary Arts (won first prize in the journal's annual short fiction contest, 1998)

selected instructor experience

"Mixed Media in 3D" Seattle ReCreative, 2016
“Poetry Connection”, “Let's Get Published,” “The Art of the Memoir,” “Writing the Wild Woman Within,” “Intro to Creative Writing,” etc. McLennan Community College Adult Education Program, from 2006-2011
Waco Children's Theatre- Lead Art/Set Design instructor for Summer Session, 2011
“From Representational to Abstract” Invited artist/demonstrator for Art Guild of Central Texas, February 2007
“Poets Are Funny Too,” “Divine Feminine in Modern Poetry,” “Fundamentals of Creative Writing,” “Intro to Poetry”, etc., Writer's Garret of Dallas, 2005-2007
“WordCraft: Workshop for Young Poets” McLennan County Library, Summers 2005 & 2006
“Once More, With Feeling: Survivor's Guide to Submission for Publication” Writer's Garret of Dallas (with Celidh Charleson-Jennings) March 2005

selected theatre experience

“Echoes of a Distant Time”- Producer/Set Designer (concert by Pink Floyd tribute band, Beat to a Pulp) Waco, Texas, April 2011
“Woman in Black,” “Brigadoon” Set Designer- Waco Civic Theatre, 2008-2010
“Dial M for Murder,” “Last of the Red Hot Lovers” Technical Director- Waco Civic Theatre, 2008-2010
“The Foreigner,” "Diary of Anne Frank,” and others- Scenic/Drop Painter- Waco Civic Theatre, 2008-2010
“Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues”- Set Director- Waco Hippodrome, 2007

selected volunteer & leadership experience

West Seattle Junction Association- served as promotions staff volunteer for West Seattle Art Walk from 2016-present
VDay Waco: Eve Ensler's “Vagina Monologues”- served as volunteer, performer, coordinator, co-coordinator, advisor, etc. from 2006-2011
Waco Civic Theatre Board of Directors- served as a board member and volunteer from 2012-2014
Arthouse Waco- served as volunteer coordinator/curator for grassroots arts organization from 2007-2009
Waco's “Art Lady”- served as volunteer curator/coordinator for various local coffeehouses and pubs, including Beatnix Coffehouse from 2006-2011

etc.

Mart Community Project- public artist, muralist, and arts coordinator for joint University of Texas/Baylor community project in Mart, Texas- Summer 2011
Croft Art Gallery- gallery manager, Waco, Texas, 2011
“The City Review” editor-in-chief of bimonthly arts magazine serving Central Texas, 2007-2008
“All Hallow's Eve City Masquerade”- producer of fundraiser gala, 2007
Writer's Garret of Dallas- CAMP Coordinator- administrated and taught for the adult professional development program, 2006-2008