Lee Allen (artist)
Encyclopedia
Lee Allen born Edwin Lee Allen, was an American Regionalist painter, a WPA
muralist, and a medical illustrator
and ocularist
.
, then moved to Des Moines, where he graduated from East High School in 1928. He studied briefly with Iowa artist Charles Atherton Cumming at the Cumming School of Art, housed then on the upper floor of the Des Moines Public Library. In 1880, Cumming had launched the art department at Cornell College
(Mount Vernon, Iowa
) and, in 1909, had become the founding head of the art department at the University of Iowa
(Iowa City), a position he continued to hold while also teaching in Des Moines. Encouraged by Cumming most likely, Allen enrolled in the School of Art at the University of Iowa in 1929. In 1932 and 1933 Allen was a student at the Stone City Art Colony
and studied under Grant Wood
.
became internationally known in 1930, with the completion of his painting called American Gothic, and in 1934, he was invited to join the faculty at the University of Iowa. During one of those intermediate years (1933-34), Wood also served as the Iowa director for the Federal Art Project
of the Works Progress Administration
(WPA), in connection with which he called on Allen to assist him with various projects. Afterwards, in 1935, Allen went to Mexico, where he studied mural painting with Diego Rivera
, to whom he had been introduced by Grant Wood. When he returned to Iowa, he received two additional government commissions (not through the WPA, apparently, but from the Fine Arts Section of the U.S. Treasury Department) to make indoor murals for new post offices in two small Iowa communities: In 1938, Allen created a mural titled “Soil Erosion and Control” for the post office in Onawa, Iowa. In 1940, he produced a second mural called “Conservation of Wild Life” for the post office in Emmetsburg, Iowa.
. Lee retired from the U of I in 1976 with the rank of Emeritus, after which he and David Bulgarelli opened a private ocularist practice, Iowa Eye Prosthetics, Inc., in Coralville, Iowa, continuing the ocularist apprenticeship program.
, an incurable dysfunction that had resulted in functional blindness for millions of senior citizens. In response, he made a series of diary-like drawings of the progression of his illness and its treatment with laser surgery. In 2000, at age 90, he produced a book about his twelve-year introspective watch of macular degeneration, titled The Hole in My Vision: An Artist’s View of His Own Macular Degeneration. The book contains his drawings of the changes in his vision, his annotations, with other observations by his medical colleagues and physicians.
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
muralist, and a medical illustrator
Medical illustrator
A medical illustrator is a professional artist who interprets and creates visual material to help record and disseminate medical, biological and related knowledge. Medical illustrators not only produce such material but can also function as consultants and administrators within the field of...
and ocularist
Ocularist
An ocularist is someone who specializes in the fabrication and fitting of ocular prostheses for people who have lost an eye or eyes due to trauma or illness...
.
Early years
Lee Allen was born in Muscatine, IowaMuscatine, Iowa
Muscatine is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 22,886 in the 2010 census, an increase from 22,697 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Muscatine County...
, then moved to Des Moines, where he graduated from East High School in 1928. He studied briefly with Iowa artist Charles Atherton Cumming at the Cumming School of Art, housed then on the upper floor of the Des Moines Public Library. In 1880, Cumming had launched the art department at Cornell College
Cornell College
Cornell College is a private liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Originally called the Iowa Conference Seminary, the school was founded in 1853 by Reverend Samuel M. Fellows...
(Mount Vernon, Iowa
Mount Vernon, Iowa
Mount Vernon is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States, adjacent to the city of Lisbon. The city's population was 3,390 when the 2000 census figures were released, but that number was later revised to 3,808 because the Census Bureau had incorrectly reported that 418 residents of a Cornell...
) and, in 1909, had become the founding head of the art department at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
(Iowa City), a position he continued to hold while also teaching in Des Moines. Encouraged by Cumming most likely, Allen enrolled in the School of Art at the University of Iowa in 1929. In 1932 and 1933 Allen was a student at the Stone City Art Colony
Stone City art colony
The Stone City Art Colony was an art colony founded by Edward Rowan, Adrian Dornbush, and Grant Wood. The colony gathered on the John A. Green Estate in Stone City, Iowa during the summers of 1932 and 1933.- History :...
and studied under Grant Wood
Grant Wood
Grant DeVolson Wood was an American painter, born four miles east of Anamosa, Iowa. He is best known for his paintings depicting the rural American Midwest, particularly the painting American Gothic, an iconic image of the 20th century.- Life and career :His family moved to Cedar Rapids after his...
.
Works Progress Administration
Iowa artist Grant WoodGrant Wood
Grant DeVolson Wood was an American painter, born four miles east of Anamosa, Iowa. He is best known for his paintings depicting the rural American Midwest, particularly the painting American Gothic, an iconic image of the 20th century.- Life and career :His family moved to Cedar Rapids after his...
became internationally known in 1930, with the completion of his painting called American Gothic, and in 1934, he was invited to join the faculty at the University of Iowa. During one of those intermediate years (1933-34), Wood also served as the Iowa director for the Federal Art Project
Federal Art Project
The Federal Art Project was the visual arts arm of the Great Depression-era New Deal Works Progress Administration Federal One program in the United States. It operated from August 29, 1935, until June 30, 1943. Reputed to have created more than 200,000 separate works, FAP artists created...
of the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
(WPA), in connection with which he called on Allen to assist him with various projects. Afterwards, in 1935, Allen went to Mexico, where he studied mural painting with Diego Rivera
Diego Rivera
Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez was a prominent Mexican painter born in Guanajuato, Guanajuato, an active communist, and husband of Frida Kahlo . His large wall works in fresco helped establish the Mexican Mural Movement in...
, to whom he had been introduced by Grant Wood. When he returned to Iowa, he received two additional government commissions (not through the WPA, apparently, but from the Fine Arts Section of the U.S. Treasury Department) to make indoor murals for new post offices in two small Iowa communities: In 1938, Allen created a mural titled “Soil Erosion and Control” for the post office in Onawa, Iowa. In 1940, he produced a second mural called “Conservation of Wild Life” for the post office in Emmetsburg, Iowa.
Medical illustration
In 1937, while looking for full-time employment, Allen accepted an appointment at the College of Medicine at the University of Iowa as a medical illustrator. He remained in that position for 39 years, during which he also published various scholarly papers about medical illustration as applied to ophthalmologyOphthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
. Lee retired from the U of I in 1976 with the rank of Emeritus, after which he and David Bulgarelli opened a private ocularist practice, Iowa Eye Prosthetics, Inc., in Coralville, Iowa, continuing the ocularist apprenticeship program.
Macular Degeneration
Around 1988, while in retirement, Allen began to experience symptoms of macular degenerationMacular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration is a medical condition which usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field because of damage to the retina. It occurs in “dry” and “wet” forms. It is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment in older adults...
, an incurable dysfunction that had resulted in functional blindness for millions of senior citizens. In response, he made a series of diary-like drawings of the progression of his illness and its treatment with laser surgery. In 2000, at age 90, he produced a book about his twelve-year introspective watch of macular degeneration, titled The Hole in My Vision: An Artist’s View of His Own Macular Degeneration. The book contains his drawings of the changes in his vision, his annotations, with other observations by his medical colleagues and physicians.
Later life
During his life, Lee Allen served as president of the Association of Medical Illustrators, founding member and president of the Ophthalmic Photographer’s Society, and president of the American Society of Ocularists. He died in Iowa City in 2006 at age 95.External links
- Lee Allen Collection of Card Paintings at the University of Iowa
- Renowned Illustrator Lee Allen Dies
- American Society of Ocularists
See also
- WPAWorks Progress AdministrationThe Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
- Grant WoodGrant WoodGrant DeVolson Wood was an American painter, born four miles east of Anamosa, Iowa. He is best known for his paintings depicting the rural American Midwest, particularly the painting American Gothic, an iconic image of the 20th century.- Life and career :His family moved to Cedar Rapids after his...
- OcularistOcularistAn ocularist is someone who specializes in the fabrication and fitting of ocular prostheses for people who have lost an eye or eyes due to trauma or illness...