A painting by Krystal Allen titled "White River Falls."

Krystal Allen’s journey into art began as a child in Orchard Park, New York. She learned that announcing she was bored caused her mother to give her tiring chores. Pads and pencils became her constant companions.

“Drawing kept me busy and, more importantly, it became a way for me to process the world, especially since I’ve always had visual challenges, including partial blindness and dyslexia,” said Allen. “It made me super observant and pushed me to focus on the details. Drawing was my way of verifying what I saw.”

Allen was fortunate to have a consistent mentor: her art teacher, who inspired her from grade school into high school. In college, Allen expanded her understanding of visual storytelling through a mix of advertising, design, and fine art studies. Later her professional career in the arts included working as the West Coast sales manager for PleinAir and Fine Art Connoisseur magazines and managing a design showroom and art gallery.

For Allen, art is a way to advocate for what she values most — preservation of farmland, connecting communities through shared creativity, and celebrating the beauty of the natural world. Deeply involved in her Marin County community, Allen sold her work to support the Bolinas Museum for more than 30 years and helped empower the mentally ill for 12 years at the Buckelew Foundation. Through initiatives with the Marin Agricultural Land Trust and Art On The Farm, she used her artistic talents to highlight the need to protect rural landscapes from urban expansion.

Painting on private farmland, often inaccessible to the public, she created works that not only evoked the beauty of these places but also raised critical funds to keep them intact.

“It wasn’t just creating a painting,” said Allen. “It was telling the story of why the land matters.”

In 2015, Allen relocated to Prineville with her husband, where they transformed a midcentury property into a home and studio. Compared to Marin County’s coastal farmland, Central Oregon offered her a fresh palette of rugged mountain ranges, high desert light, and dramatic vistas.

“Each location brings its own challenges,” she said. “I’ve found new energy in capturing this unique geography.”

Allen remains an active participant in plein air outings.

“When painting outdoors, you only have a small window of time to capture light and mood,” she said. “It sharpens your instincts and demands attention to detail.”

She continues to contribute to the local arts community through groups like the Dry Canyon Arts Association and the Plein Air Painters of Oregon.

“Two main facets of my personality are a mix of perseverance and curiosity,” said Allen. “And art is problem solving. Changing subject matter challenges me to stay fresh and curious, to grow as a painter and observer. I want to transport viewers.”

While landscape painting remains her focus, Allen’s website shows she’s adept at drawing and painting just about anything. Her technical versatility is grounded in a careful, deliberate process, often starting with sketches or photographs before moving into compositions of oils or watercolors. Using atmospheric perspective — cool hues in the background, warmer tones in the foreground — she renders depth and dimension.

Matthew London, former curator of the Clymer Museum, celebrated her work.

“Krystal Allen’s paintings reveal a flawless demonstration of how light and shadow embrace the landscape,” said London.

Allen’s process also varies by medium. Oils typically involve layering color blocks and shadow areas, while watercolors rely on delicate washes to build depth and luminosity.

“Mistakes in watercolor are harder to fix, which forces me to make deliberate choices” she said.

Meet Krystal Allen and see her work at a reception in her honor at Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realtors in Downtown Redmond during First Friday Art Walk from 5-8 p.m. on April 4. Allen’s art will be installed at Sotheby’s for the reception and will stay on display during the month of April. Hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served.

Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s Realtors in downtown Redmond will host unveil the latest works by Wendy Wheeler Jacobs as part of the Dry Canyon Arts Association First Friday Art Walk.

This reception is set for Friday from 5-8 p.m., and will include fine wine and hors d’oeuvres.