MARK ALLEN DESIGN ~ BIOGRAPHY
Born in Houston, Texas, my earliest influences came from my commercial artist father,
Harrison Allen. At twelve years old, my first art exhibits included posters that I created of my
favorite bands that I gave to my neighborhood buddies to hang on their walls. I was hooked...
I studied at Parsons School of Design in New York City
Art Center College of Design in Passadena, CA
and received my Bachelor of Science in Commercial Art
at Texas State University in beautiful San Marcos, TX
I am probably best known for my design and eccentric lettering style. I have worked on projects for many prestigious clients, including; Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Studios, Warner Brothers, CBS, Guess Jeans, Levi’s, Salomon Snowboards (Paris), Astrea (Japan), Atlantic Records, Capitol Records, Miller Genuine Draft, Budweiser, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs (Bad Boy Records), Yu-Gi-Oh!, The Nightmare Before Christmas, 60th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, The Simpson’s, King of The Hill, Family Guy, My Name is Earl, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, M*A*S*H, and Wizards of Waverly Place.
I have been published in Artforum, Communication Arts, Print, How, Coagula
Art Journal, Letter Arts Review, Extreme Graphics, Letterwork, published in London,
Sugar, published in Japan, The New Logo of California Vol. 1 & 2, The Workbook 92-07,
Single Image 16, 17, 19, The Alternative Pick 93-01, and American Showcase 1998-99.
My design is represented throughout the United States as well as in Europe, Asia, and Australia. Typefaces I have designed are represented by T-26 in Chicago.
I served as Vice President of Development for the Los Angeles Chapter of The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) for two years. I have been an invited lecturer and portfolio reviewer at Cal State Universities and at Art Center College of Design. I have been involved with university internship programs, and have employed students from colleges throughout the U.S. and the UK. I judged a show and presented my work to AIGA Las Vegas.
My fine art work has been exhibited in one-person and group exhibitions in New York City,
Los Angeles, Houston, Austin, Tokyo, Japan, Seoul, Korea, and in New Zealand. Most notably at the Rockefeller Center in New York, Monique Goldstrom Gallery in Soho, (NYC), Soapbox Gallery (Los Angeles), Coppola Gallery (Beverly Hills), and Wally Workman Gallery (Austin).
