Jes Allen
BlackGirlMagic, 2026
Mixed Media
16" x 20"
 
Artist Bio
Jes Allen (b. 1979, New York City) is a multidisciplinary artist and curator based in Louisville, KY. Allen spent her early childhood in Fayetteville, North Carolina, transitioning to Kentucky during her teenage years. She creates mixed media work that spans collage, sculpture, three-dimensional art, and wearable pieces. Her artistic foundation was shaped by a lifetime of exposure to professional artists within her family and mentorship while pursuing her undergraduate degree. Allen’s current practice engages visual pareidolia—the human instinct to find meaning in random patterns. Through vibrant color and controlled chaos, she allows the paint to “speak,” searching for faces and figures that emerge from the energetic compositions. Her work investigates themes of Black womanhood, cultural identity and injustice, personal meaning, and transformation. Allen holds a BA in Pan-African Studies from the University of Louisville and is a recipient of the Nancy Pollack Award and is a member of the Louisville Artisans’ Guild. Her art resides in private collections across the region, as well as Brooklyn, Detroit, and Philadelphia, and is included in the permanent collection of The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage in Louisville, KY. Allen has extended her mixed media practice into fashion, and jewelry, crafting wearable art that serves as both personal expression and a catalyst for dialogue. By thinking beyond conventional boundaries, she invites viewers to recognize that creativity and wonder are ever-present—awaiting our closer attention. Allen admires Kara Walker, Mickalene Thomas, Kihende Wiley, Kerry James Marshall, Alphonse Mucha, Dr. Robert Douglas, William Duffy, and Sam Gilliam amongst others.