Workhouse Artist of the Week: Allen Levy

Allen Levy’s decision to fill an elective at Purdue University with a painting class was a decision that would change his life. But not right away.

“I had to take an elective,” remembered Allen. “Painting 101. I thought it would be fun. It was my very last semester—I loved it.”

By the end of the semester his instructor approached Allen with ideas on classes that he could continue on with in the next term.

“But I couldn’t,” said Allen. “I was graduating. So then he said, ‘Always remember you have a talent.’ I kind of just put it in the back of my mind.”

Allen received his degree and went on to enjoy a successful career in marketing. About 10 years ago, he moved to Northern Virginia, settling into a corporate career in Tyson’s Corner. It was through an artist friend five years ago that the idea of painting again surfaced, and Allen has never looked back.

“It just hit me,” said Allen. “I just wanted to give it a go. I think part of it may have been moving out here—it’s so hustle and bustle. Painting is kind of a relief, an escape to some degree. My commute was an hour and a half each way, so when I painted, I wanted to create something soothing and peaceful versus crazy and chaotic.”

After a trip to Michaels to purchase paints and canvasses, Allen set up a studio in his garage and started to paint. “I jumped right in,” he said.

Allen’s hobby quickly translated to appealing works of art that caught the eye of a gallery owner in Indianapolis. “Pieces started selling pretty fast,” said Allen. “Sometimes I’d send them out there, and by the weekend they’d sell. So I was like, hmm, I wonder what’s going on here. But I knew I had a passion for it regardless of whether they sold or not.”

But with a full-time job in the corporate world, how did Levy transition into becoming a full-time artist? “A lot of things just kind of came together at the right time,” said Allen. “One of them being the Workhouse—I passed by here every day.

“About three years ago I started seeing signs for the Workhouse. At the time I was selling more and more, and getting commissions. It was just an instant click in my mind. That this is what I needed to be doing.”

Two years ago, Allen handed in his resignation at USA Today. “I kind of mapped it out and did a business plan,” said Allen. “I was like, oh, I have to sell this many pieces a month to be able to do this. That’s why I feel fortunate that I do have a business plan—that I can utilize it to advance my art career.”

Allen’s career is getting some fairly honorable exposure these days. Susan Hirschbiel of the Virginia Commission for the Arts recently selected two of Allen’s paintings to hang in the office of Virginia Senator Mark Warner. “He’s a democrat and they ended up selecting blue pieces,” laughed Allen. “So how appropriate is that?”

Blue-themed paintings are just some of the canvasses that line the wall of Allen’s gallery-esque studio—many of them with a masculine quality that Allen doesn’t deny. “I don’t think it’s intentional though,” said Allen. “But a gallery owner in New Hope, PA said that she found my work to be universally appealing.

“It’s contemporary, abstract. However, some of the newer pieces have some impressionistic qualities. I’ve also been told it’s kind of a combination of Rothko and Turner.”

So what does the future hold for a self-trained, experimental artist from Lakeridge?

“I’d love to own my own gallery,” said Allen. “I think this is a stepping stone—a good one. But in three to four years I would love to have my own gallery where I’d also represent a few these artists that I’ve met doing the juried shows around the country.”

For a schedule of Allen Levy's gallery showings, visit his website.