BIO

Francie Allen

Francie Allen grew up in Gilford, a picturesque New Hampshire village that – after WWII – drew educated, visionary people to live their ideals. Their pioneering spirit and vibrant sense of community deeply shaped her values. Civil rights activities – including marching with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr– prefigured her life long commitment to healing the planet and its peoples.

Allen moved to Seattle in the early 70’s. A graduate sculpture student at UW School of Art, she unexpectedly found her greatest inspiration working with Dance Department head, Joan Skinner.

Francie is a versatile educator – from college teaching to designing school programs in visual thinking to environmental education. She ran a production studio for concrete garden sculptures of her own designs and molds, with thousands of pedestals and sculpted bowls located throughout the Northwest.

In CA (2003-2009), as artist-in-residence for the city of Palo Alto, she began her current work in wire. In 2009 she married and relocated to Bellingham, WA.

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Most of the period since 2009, Francie spent sculpting wire figures and caring for her husband, who had Alzheimer's Disease. He died in 2019. After a period of intense mourning, she dove into her creative work with a fresh, energetic perspective. She continues to sculpt and additionally is deep into writing a memoir.

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