Profile

Portfolio

Slideshow

Store

Bio

Contact

Website

Artist Bio

Links to more of Vivian's places

ArtCardsWanted

My eBay

BongoBeatniks

NWLAARTGALLERY


ABOUT THE ARTIST

Vivian Ogea Allen was born in Bossier City, LA. Her first ambition was to be a ballerina, which never transpired because her destiny was to be a painter. Vivian's painting began in Olivehurst, California in 1959. While in kindergarten, she would paint the beautiful California sunsets with watercolors at the easel in the play area of the room. Her favorite medium is oil because of the way it blends and makes her paintings breathe. Before eBay, her paintings were sprinkled around the United States. Now, the world! She accepts commissions and is not limited to painting her three favorite subjects, which are mermaids, fairies, and beatniks. Vivian lives in Haughton, LA with her husband, Kent. She has two grown children and three grandchildren. Vivian has always been fascinated with the beatnik era, and needed an additional direction for her painting, therefore, in 2002 she created Mme V (pronounced Emmy Vee) and Ivan Bongo, who are musicians at a local coffee shop called THE COOL CAT CAFE. They were inspired by the movie 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' . Mme V and Ivan have triplets, Dylan, Ivy and Zeke, and a Siamese cat named Lil, who is an image of Vivian's own Siamese cat named Lilith. Lilith is no longer with her...but lives on in her paintings.

BongoMania
is the worlds largest association of bongo players
that uses one Vivian's beatnik images in their gallery.

Artist Highlights