Katie Allen

Katie was born in Kingston-upon-Thames, Southwest London (1967), relocating to Swansea, Wales, at a young age. In 1989, she attained a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Painting from the University of Bath, followed by a PGCE in Art and Design from the University of Cardiff in 1996.

Katie’s artistic focus lies in scenic landscapes inspired by her beloved South Wales, where she still lives. She draws continuous inspiration from the evolving colours and plant life of the seasons, capturing the essence of woodlands, rolling hills, and coastlines. Her landscapes featuring native seasonal flora such as hawthorn, snowdrops, foxgloves, and sunflowers, depicted in idealised spaces devoid of human presence, create a sense of beauty, peace, and calm.

Employing seductively thick, smooth layers of acrylic paint, Katie crafts her subject matter with intricate patterns, blurring the line between abstract and representational, evoking the energy of nature. Katie’s paintings are greatly influenced by an extended trip to India where she was inspired by its vast palaces. These were decorated with beautiful intricate patterns composed of gemstones and mirrors, delicate miniature paintings and richly coloured textiles. With their colourful, jewel-like quality, Katie achieves a harmonious balance, offering an idealised serenity with an underlying sense of excitement, encouraging viewers to find new areas of the image to explore.

Katie’s vibrant landscapes secured a significant commission from Morrison Hospital in Swansea, resulting in a series of paintings displayed in the hospital’s new outpatients building since 2006. These works, depicting Shore, Moorland, Woodland, and Sky, were reproduced and enlarged, dramatically enhancing the hospital environment. Additionally, Katie designed a stained glass panel dedicated to organ donors and their families.

Katie exhibits widely and successfully across the UK, Europe and the United States.