Terry Allen is a visual artist and songwriter who was raised in Lubbock, Texas. He graduated from Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles and has worked as an artist & musician since 1966. His legendary story-telling ability is key to his creative productivity. His modern folklore is skillfully drafted from historical events, personal memories, theater, song and iconic images from both American TV and the American landscape. Allen’s underlying narratives give form to drawn images, sculptures, recordings, radio plays and video art.


He has received numerous awards and honors including a Guggenheim and National Endowment for the Art Fellowships, Awards for the Visual Arts (AVA), Washington D.C., Bessie (New York) and Isadora Duncan (San Francisco) Critic Awards for text, music, sets, costumes for PEDAL STEAL (Margaret Jenkins Dance Co.), AICA Award (International Assoc. of Art Critics) Best Show in a Commercial Gallery, Dugout I, LA Louver Gallery, Venice, CA, 2nd Place, curated by Peter Goulds; induction into the Buddy Holly Walk of Fame in 1992, US Artists Fellowship, Oliver Fellow, 2009.


Biography - Artist website

terry allen