Allan was born in 1949 in Stoke-on-Trent. His father worked down the local pit and, as a treat, when Allan was aged four, he took him and Allan’s best friend to visit some pit ponies. “We fell in love with those pit ponies,” recalled Allan. ”My father would lift me up to sit on them. It was great fun to see how long I could stay on. Throughout his life, Allan has enjoyed painting. Riding racehorses over 45 years has given him a tremendous insight into movement, muscle and make up, and many viewers of his work remark how those key factors are accurately reflected in his painting. His successful exhibitions include those staged at Royal Ascot, London’s Society of Equine Artists at The Mall, and The Vale and Downland in Wantage, Oxfordshire.
Recently, Allan received an acknowledgment from HRH Princess Anne in recognition of his work for Racing Welfare after donating paintings for fundraising auctions.