Frank Drummond Allison (1883-1951)

Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, Allison studied painting under Wilfred Molson Barnes in Montreal, John F. Carlson in New York State and George Elmer Browne in Europe. Though he lived and painted in Saint John he traveled extensively, painting a variety of subjects through his travels to Europe, Morocco and the Caribbean. He had a special interest in old buildings, bridges, cities, towns and coastal scenes. Though he was an extremely accomplished oil painter he is perhaps best known for his watercolours. He exhibited both his oils and his watercolours with the Royal Canadian Academy exhibitions between 1915 and 1941; at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Spring Shows between 1915 and 1939. Among his solo exhibitions during his career was one at the T. Eaton Company Gallery in Montreal in 1933.

Frank Allison won the Jessie Dow Prize for his watercolour painting, Bab Djedid, Fez in 1933.He was a life member of the American Watercolour Society (1933).

His work was resurrected in the 1980's with a major exhibition at the Owens Art Gallery in 1985 titled, "Frank D Allison - Forty Watercolours". This exhibition travelled for 2 years to various galleries through out the Maritimes. In 1997 and 2007 "A Canadian Painter Abroad," the sketchbook exhibition, was held at the New Brunswick Museum. These works were later exhibited at the Peter Buckland Gallery where there was a sold out show.

Frank Allison's work can be found in numerous public and private collections.