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José (pronounced ‘josee’) Elizabeth Allen was born and raised in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England.

José initially studied graphic art and typography under Lewin Bassingthwaite among others at the Watford School of Art but transferred to St. Albans School of Art to pursue the study of fine arts. While at St. Alban's School of Art she studied sculpture under both George Fullard and John Mills, etching and print making under John Brunsdon and painting and drawing under Maurice Feild, William Mason, Norman Adams and Euan Uglow among others.

José has worked in many different media including lino- and wood-cut printing, etching, mixed media, painting of all sorts including oil and watercolor. She has sculpted in clay, stone and wood. Her favorite medium is now oil with watercolor being a close second. José has pioneered a mixed media approach to painting involving a mix of stencil, pen-and-ink, and watercolor which produces very dramatic images particularly suited to landscape painting. Her favorite subjects are figure and landscape painting.

José has taught in higher education in Texas at both the University of Texas at Arlington and North Lake College. She has exhibited at locations in the United Kingdom and United States.