Nature Boy
Year c. 1948
Artist Don F. Allen (1909–1993, American)
Media ceramic
Dimensions 10 1/2 x 5 x 4 inches
Don F. Allen was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The son of a lawyer, he relocated to Colorado with his parents when he was six years old and became a life-long resident of the state. He graduated from Denver’s East High School in 1928 and received his BA from Colorado State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Colorado) in Greeley in 1934. While there he met his future wife, Ann Elizabeth Owen. He later earned his MA at the University of Denver and also did graduate work in sculpture at the Art Institute of Chicago and in ceramics with Glen Lukens at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He also worked with Henry Varnum Poor at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. Immediately after graduating from Colorado State Teachers College, Allen was hired by the Denver Public Schools where he taught ceramics, drawing, painting and commercial art at West High School until 1952. From 1956 to 1964 he was assigned to the Radio-Television Department of KRMA Channel 6 in Denver where he served as coordinator of TV Art and Production. He later was Director of Art Education until illness necessitated his retirement in 1972. He died in Denver 21 years later.
ON VIEW in Sculpture Gallery 10
Signature unsigned
Credit Line Collection Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art; Gift of Donald F. "Bud"" Allen, Jr."
Accession Number 2011.0893
