Family tradition

In a sense, Allen's gift for art was handed to him from his late father."It runs in the family," says Allen, a native of Pompton Plains, New Jersey."My father was an artist. He'd do landscapes. He was very creative."The late Glenn Howard Allen was employed at the Panama Canal, a vantage point that gave him plenty of opportunity to paint his surroundings. And his creative mind dabbled in everything that fascinated him.In fact, Allen says his father invented the slot car."But never got credit for it."He did, however, earn accolades for his art."He received a medal from President Roosevelt," says Allen, who moved to Tamaqua in 1989.Glass sculptingTaking after his father, Allen immerses himself in his subject matter and employs cutting-edge creativity. He works in pen and ink, oil, acrylic, and even on glass, as in glass sculpting."I've done edge-lit glass etchings for a night club in Virginia," he says. Another time, he created a dramatic glass etching that represented the New York City skyscape.Allen also has produced everything from religious murals to Dracula-type magazine covers.About 15 years ago, he parted with one of his favorite images when he sold his original Creepy magazine cover art for $800.He says he's been largely influenced by Andy Warhol's pop art and the fantasy and science fiction work of Frank Frazetta.He also has background in commercial art.Allen created signage for Yuengling Beer back in his days as art director at Heritage Frame and Glass Creations, Nesquehoning.Still, art can be a tricky business, especially when trying to make a living on it privately."It's hard to sell art in this area," says Allen, "But the Internet opens it up to the world."As a result, Allen hopes to use cyberspace to generate and market a graphic novel currently underway."It'll be a 400- to 500-page novel that will be a trilogy linking to a comic book series."MusicAllen also has met with success in music and costume design, winning top prizes in both fields.Gene Simmons of the band KISS selected an original costume designed by Allen for a 1975 concert.The dramatic outfit was created from Allen's paper renderings, and Simmons eventually wore it in concert."It was a bat theme with claws. And I suggested they bring him in by flying him over the stage, which they did," says Allen.Allen also is accomplished in vocals and helped to launch Speds, the area's first punk rock band. Allen was lead singer.The Hazleton-based group won the Battle of the Bands competition, selected for first place by judges Bill Haley and the Comets.And while Allen has excelled with creativity, he is largely self taught.After graduating from Freeland High School in 1976, the last graduating class at that school, he attended Luzerne County Community College, Nanticoke.There, he studied art under Howard Purcell of Green Lantern Comics.Through the years, he worked in the baking industry to help pay the bills, first as a baker for Wenzel's in Tamaqua and today helping out at Padora's Italian Bakery, also in Tamaqua.He's married to the former Judy Schlosser and the couple has one son, Duane R. Allen II, 27.Allen admits to being a Renaissance man. Art is the medium he uses to express himself. But even more, it lets him discover the bounty of richness in life.For Allen, creativity is a reflection of passion."Art should be an expression of your deepest feelings," he says."It's about life, yourself, love and the world around."Art is a journey on the colorful road of our existence.And Duane Allen is at the steering wheel.