Timothy Joseph Allen is an American painter living and working in Rome, Italy since 1998. He is firmly rooted in the Classical tradition of figurative art and is principally influenced by the Old Masters of the 17th century. When asked what relevance the past has on contemporary art he replies, "we need to be reminded: there is no beauty without rules and there is no better rule book than nature."
He is also the founder and director of The Painting and Drawing Art Studio of Rome. Professor Allen has taught at AUR as an Adjunct Faculty member since 2006.
Renaissance Retreats
In June 2018, Professor Allen led an international group of artists for a seven-day painting workshop at Castello di Potentino, a medieval castle in Tuscany. Calling it a “Renaissance Retreat”, Prof. Allen designed the experience to focus on painting from life––in the studio from the model and outdoors in the countryside––with the goal of creating an oil portrait in a landscape, as exemplified in many a Renaissance portrait. The experience also included daily farm-to-table meals, a cooking lesson with a Michelin-star chef, a demonstration on how to make pecorino and ricotta cheese, and tasting of world-class wines made by the owners of the castle.
For further information on Professor Allen's painting retreats: