Allen Figone is a native of San Jose, California. He attended San Jose State University, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts in painting in 1973 under the direction of John DeVincenzi, Wendall Gates and Raymond Brose. Over the course of his career, Allen has won awards in shows throughout the San Francisco Bay area. His paintings have been featured in galleries throughout California, Oregon, Arizona, New Jersey and Montana. Admired by fine art connoisseurs, Allen’s work is proudly displayed in private collections throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Most recently Allen has achieved National level recognition as a finalist in “ The Art of Seeing Nature” Oakland Museum of Art, “Arts for the Parks 2005 and 2006”(triple finalist), and “Oil Painters of America Western Regional Juried Exhibition 2006 through 2009. The Grand Canyon Association purchased Allen’s painting “Drama Along Bright Angel Trail.” Allen’s painting “Afternoon Shadows” has now been added to the permanent collection of the St. George Museum in connection with “A Century of Sanctuary” The Art of Zion National Park. Allen has taken the skills he learned doing technical illustration and combined that with what he has learned from studying the Early California Impressionists to create a unique style of painting to shape his aesthetic vision. “My painting philosophy is simple: to capture nature as I see her and to depict the colors and values I see as exactingly as possible. Art is about seeing, interpreting and painting the performance.