A profound passion for painting transformed David Allen's life in 1989, when he transitioned from a distinguished career as a chartered civil engineer to a full-time professional artist. This unique journey is the core of his artistic identity, fusing the methodical discipline of structural design with the expressive freedom of a painter. The artist's work is a powerful bridge between two worlds: the rigorous analysis of a draughtsman and the profound emotive power of a creative visionary. Working in pastels and oils, David Allen is celebrated for his commitment to en plein air painting, where he captures the fleeting light and atmosphere of a moment with immediacy and authenticity. These direct studies serve as the foundation for his larger, more developed canvases created in his Yorkshire studio. His work is driven by a singular purpose: to capture the wonderful quality of light, form, and colour he observes in the marine and landscape settings around him. A Harrogate native and a central figure in the Northern art scene, David Allen's professional standing is a testament to his recognised skill and sustained excellence. He is an elected member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA), a prestigious body with a heritage tracing back to the Royal patronage of King George VI. Gained through a rigorous peer-review process, this membership signals a career of consistently high standards. He has been consistently honoured at their annual exhibitions, winning the Classic Boat Magazine Prize, the Age of Sail Award, and the Canson Paper Mill Prize, awards that further validate his prominence in the field. David's technical prowess in pastels has been formally recognised with the Frank Herring Award from The Pastel Society, a prestigious institution whose early exhibitors included masters such as Edgar Degas and James McNeill Whistler. This accolade links his masterful hand directly to a celebrated lineage of artists and provides a verifiable testament to his skill with the medium. As a leading figure in the acclaimed en plein air painting collective, The Northern Boys, David Allen stands at the forefront of a vibrant and highly collectible contemporary British art movement, further cementing his place as a dynamic and influential artist.