Journey Allen is native to New Orleans, the inspiration for her vibrant works that intertwine her signature abstract pattern with images that capture the city's celebratory culture. With an eponymous gallery-studio space in the heart of the historic 7th Ward neighborhood where she grew up, Allen embraces a life of community and creativity that defies the prediction of a college professor who once told her that she was "unteachable" and "could never learn to paint well enough to become a professional artist." Instead, Allen sources light from this narrative and uses it as a means of empowerment through her work with the youth that she encounters throughout her creative practice and as an arts educator.