Allen Bunker is a Maine painter known for his “Landscape Allusions”—paintings that evoke the emotional essence of a place rather than depicting it literally. His work reflects both the intensity and beauty of the coastal Maine landscape, balancing bold skies and waters with quiet, contemplative atmospheres.A licensed construction supervisor and lifelong entrepreneur, Allen began painting in the 1980s while vacationing on Cape Cod and in Boothbay Harbor, as a way to relieve stress from his construction business. What started as a release quickly grew into a passion. In 2007, he and his wife moved full-time into their Boothbay Harbor home and opened a downtown gallery to represent other artists. When Allen added one of his own paintings, it sold immediately. Encouraged, he hung more—and within a few years, his work outsold that of the other forty gallery artists combined.Allen describes his work in oil as less about copying a landscape than capturing its mood and atmosphere. “People come to Maine not just for the good weather and spectacular landscape but also to ‘get away’ and ‘get back to nature,’” he says. “My goal as an artist is to bring the viewer back to that feeling or emotion. For me, it’s always been about the possibilities of what lies beyond, through, or in.” His paintings range from foreboding scenes of sea and sky to moments so luminous they feel overwhelming in their beauty. Allen now lives in West Newfield, where he recently renovated an old farmhouse and barn studio. His work continues within the tradition of contemporary Maine art, connecting viewers to place and feeling.Learn more about Allen’s journey from construction to painting on Radio Maine.