Allison Lefcort - Bio




"When I first began, my subjects were purely people I liked or looked up to. I painted portraits of friends and music groups that I listened to. Painting their images was the best way I could express how much they meant to me."

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Allison Lefcort is an American "Pop Art" painter who has made works of rock stars, singers, political figures and Disney and Star Wars characters.

Early Life

Allison Lefcort was born the daughter of Robert and Ronni Lefcort, a Yale University alumni and a visual artist. When she was a little girl, Allison created a portrait of Dan Marino, which is displayed in her studio in Boca Raton, Florida. While attending Spanish River High School in Boca Raton, Allison made a painting of the band The Doors, which was the genesis of her "pop art" style. At 17 years old, Lefcort's work was exhibited at the Greenwich Village Art Gallery, her first professional exhibition.

After high school, Allison began studying art at Skidmore College even while successfully selling her works. When one of Allison's art teachers told her students to forget all they knew about art so that she could teach them properly, Allison decided she wanted to drop out of college. Her parents made a deal with her: If she attended the New York Art Expo and her work was recognized, she could pursue her art career rather than return to college. During the expo, Allison made beneficial contacts and sold three paintings. She didn't return to college and her mother, a supporter throughout her artistic career, became her publicist and manager.

Her Style

Allison's work is noticeable for its monochromatic scheme of black, white and grey in the foreground, and bright bold colors of the background. She uses acrylic paints exclusively on paper, wood or canvas to create her pop art portraits. She spends more time designing and drafting a portrait than painting the work. Allison says "boldness and simplicity are the keys to unlocking the imagery." Her work is influenced by Keith Haring and Andy Warhol. She says that "Boldness and simplicity are the keys to the success of my portraits. The vibrant color of the background accents the shapes and shadows and enhances the three-dimensional appearance.

Celebrity Portraits

In 1996, Allison was commissioned to create the portrait of then First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Clinton was presented this portrait during the Women's Leadership Forum of the Democratic National Committee.

Allison was also commissioned to paint the portrait of their Royal Highnesses the King and Queen of Jordan that was hung in the king and queen's palace. That same portrait of the late King Hussein that was featured in an interview with Queen Noor conducted by Katie Couric on the Today Show.

 

 

Allison has painted recipients of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (The Grammy's) Humanitarian Award including Sting, Phil Collins, Tony Bennett, Quincy Jones, Natalie Cole, Luciano Pavarotti, Gloria Estefan, Bonnie Raitt, David Crosby and Stevie Wonder. These portraits currently hang in the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences offices in Los Angeles.

She made portraits for Ellen DeGeneres, Barbra Streisand and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Allison's painting of Roy Orbison is owned by his concert producer, Brian Carabet. In 1998, Allison painted Sigmund Freud, which was presented at the "Freud Amongst the Arts" show and auction, Southeast Florida Association for Psychoanalytic Psychology.

Disney & Star Wars

In the 1990s, Lefcort began long associations with The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros. Studios, each of whom granted her license to interpret their iconic characters in her own interpretive style. Most recently, she has been given license to paint and reproduce artwork featuring Star Wars films.



Learn More About Allison




“I see things boldly, graphically, and I am color-oriented so certain images just resonate. The hard part is getting my hands to put what my brain sees on the canvas. I am mostly known for my larger-than-life pop art portraits. I have a knack for grabbing the essence of people, characters, and even inanimate objects.”
“I see things boldly, graphically, and I am color-oriented so certain images just resonate. The hard part is getting my hands to put what my brain sees on the canvas. I am mostly known for my larger-than-life pop art portraits. I have a knack for grabbing the essence of people, characters, and even inanimate objects.”


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