(ATLANTA)- Steve R. Allen fancies himself as much diplomat as artist. Traveling in an official capacity, he’s met with everyone from President Clinton to Prince Albert II of Monaco, and is commonly escorted into government sites as part of a VIP entourage. His international images of brotherhood now hang in countless government buildings worldwide, thanks in part to notoriety achieved from being tapped to create works for five Olympic Games — the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Summer Games, 2000 Sydney Olympic Summer Games, 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games, 2004 Athens Olympic Summer Games, and the upcoming 2006 Torino Olympic Winter Games.

His powerful paintings of athletes engaged in competition and sportsmanship have opened doors to partnerships with various nations. Known and respected as an anointed messenger who uses art as a vehicle to create national pride and unity —Allen’s famed works exude a spirit of cultural harmony in global venues wherever they are displayed.

Allen’s 72” by 60” painting “On to Sydney”, was presented to Lord Mayor Frank Sartor of Sydney, Australia during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and hangs in Sydney Town Hall. “Olympic Zeal” a 60” x 48” masterpiece was also presented during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and hangs in the Presidential Palace in the Federated States of Micronesia. “Spirit of the Games”, a 72” x 60” work was unveiled and presented before numerous dignitaries at USA House during the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games, and signed prints given as official gifts to all participating nations in the Games. Today, it is a prominent piece of the permanent collection in the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

“USA” a 72” x 60” work was presented to all delegations and dignitaries as official gifts of the USOC at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. “Coming Full Circle” is a 48”x 60” work; and Allen signed and presented prints during the 2004 Athens Olympic Summer Games. The original hangs at USOC headquarters. “Unity and Peace Through Sport”, a 42” x 48” piece, prompted yet more applause from Athens — also presented during the 2004 Athens Olympic Summer Games, and hangs in Athens City Hall. “Unity and Peace Through Sport” was presented to/before Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyannis, US Ambassador to Greece Miller, Congresswoman Diane E. Watson, and representatives of the International Olympic Committee and US Olympic Committee as a gift from the State of California, and City of Los Angeles to Athens. “Continuing the Legacy” a 42”x 48” inch work was presented during the 2004 Athens Olympic Summer Games and hangs in Atlanta‘s DeKalb International Training Center. HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco personally accepted the piece.

The upcoming 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy are admittedly the capstone to an illustrious career. Not only has Allen been commissioned to produce “Torino Olympique‘”, the official poster for the Games (with limited edition giclees); but also a set of twelve postcards/note cards that represent each Olympic sport. He has also collaborated with Olympic Gold Medalist Bob Beamon (licensee for the USOC) in the creation of a line of accessories. “I became impressed with Steve in Athens … he was the first Black to be commissioned by the Olympic movement, and I felt his work was outstanding; he was a realist in a sense, with an ability to interweave vibrant colors,” says the world and Olympic record-breaking track and field star. Beamon and Allen collaborated on an accessory line that’s yielded an incredible union ¯ merging Beamon’s abstract designs with Allen’s bold masterful imagery.

The resulting line includes neckties, suspenders, scarves, handkerchiefs, boxer shorts and skull caps for the United States Olympic Team; and a comparable line for the public. If one inspects closely, the print seen throughout the merchandise is extracted from “Torino Olympique”, Allen’s painting. The USOC and international athletic federations will select the designs for their athletic teams. According to Beamon he hopes to sell to federated stores in time for a 2008 Beijing Olympic Summer Games collection, a planned collaboration with Allen.

Erica Hutchinson, the USOC’s Curator of the Hall of Fame & Art Gallery expressed elation in exhibiting Allen’s work at the USOC Olympic Complex. “Steve Allen’s work is the most vibrant and colorful and action oriented we’ve ever displayed. The public is always fascinated by the amazing detail in his sport collages.”

The placement of Allen’s paintings — at the USOC Olympic Complex, internationally and in government buildings serves to establish his reputation as an artist that touches a broad audience — from a nation’s prime minister to the common spectator. The acclaimed sports artist says that he never consciously chose to ignore galleries and museums — “it’s just that my path followed a large-scale transnational direction before a world audience”.

Allen finds that the influence and interaction between sports and society acts as a meeting point where cultures bond. People the world over, regardless of culture, gender, race, or nationality revere sportsmanship — the human motivation, the intensity of concentration, and the heightened sense of mastery. Spectators recognize their own internal drive in the actions of athletes ¯ drawn irresistibly by the exhilaration of witnessing the adrenalin-rush of self-surpassing play. “Athletics awaken and invite us to examine our own exceptional possibilities,” says Allen. He says that sport can also be used to strengthen ties between nations, citing the ping-pong diplomacy between the U.S. and China over 40 years ago.

Born in 1954, Allen has been a vital presence in contemporary art since the late1990’s. His stimulating works have evolved from portraits to the colorful sculpted bodyworks that make his name a household word amongst the international Olympic community, government officials, professional athletes, and sports fans worldwide.

His painting “The Legend” was a hit when presented to "Home Run King" Hank Aaron during the 25th anniversary celebration of Home Run 715. Commissioned in 1999 by the “Chasing the Dream Foundation", the painting hangs today in the Hank Aaron BMW dealership in Union, City Georgia. Allen has also painted "Sweetness" in memory of Chicago Bears star Walter Payton, commissioned in 2001 by the Walter Payton Foundation Cancer Fund. Allen also became recognized as a prominent artist in the collectible phone card industry when his painting "Uniting Colors of the World" was replicated on a phone card, used by AT&T and Hanes Corporation as part of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Summer Games. It was distributed to every official participant in the Games (athletes also received the phone card in their official gift bags).

Allen’s imagination and vision can be found throughout the world and on a variety of canvases, public spaces, and outdoor murals. Allen has painted portraits of numerous world leaders, including mayors, ambassadors and heads of state. He also has been designated Official Artist of numerous national and international events, including commission to paint the official image for the San Diego International Film Festival in 2001.

Allen remains steadfast in his crusade to use the power of art as a medium for intellectual transformation and cultural expansion. He is known and respected as a humanist whose work is a model for an enlarged definition of “artist” ¯ one whose role expands to that of civil servant.

Steve Allen has been represented by The Write Publicist & Co. since 1996. 770.998.9911 www.thewritepublicist.com

More information on Steve R. ALLEN can be found at www.steverallen.com