In the 1970s Gorman worked as an advertising art director. He founded his own firm, what eventually became Brandspa, in 1987.[7]
Largely self-taught, Gorman began painting in the early 1980s, while teaching advertising at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.[7] Gorman's work has been profiled in The Huffington Post, Transportation Today, Manifest's International, New Painting Annual, America Art Collector, Poets & Artists Magazine, Chicago Fine Art and many other specialized publications and websites.[3][8][9][10][11] Gorman often participates in art events, acting as an art curator, a juror or a board member.[12][13] Gorman's awards for painting include a Residence fellowship to Vermont Studio Center (2011), the John Collins Memorial Award from the AAPL (2012), and the New Jersey Arts Council Fellowship[14][15][16][17] A list of Gorman's art teachers includes Power Booth, Gary Godbee and David Kapp.[18]
In his previous career in the advertising and design communications industries (1970-2006), Gorman has worked at advertising agencies, including Young & Rubicam, Grey Advertising, Foote, Cone & Belding and others.[19] Gorman opened his own advertising shop in 1987.[20] He also acted as a past president of The Art Directors Club of NJ.[21] In 2007 he was inducted into the New Jersey Advertising Club's Hall of Fame.[22] More details of Gorman's career in advertising may be found in the May 4, 2015, issue of Motorcycle Magazine.[23]
Allan Gorman was granted an artist residency at the Eileen Kaminski Foundation (ESKFF) at Mana Contemporary in 2016.[24] In 2017 he was a curator of the exhibition "Industrialism in the 21st Century", at the Nicole Longnecker Gallery , Houston, TX.[25] Interviews of the artist are available online.[26][27] His works are represented at the European Museum of Modern Art.[28]
2015 ViewPoints, Studio Montclair's 18th Annual Open Juried Exhibition, Aljira Center, Newark, NJ (June 6)[64]
2014 Ready to Rumble Road Show - A series of "pop-up" exhibits at Harley Davidson dealers in NY, NJ and PA from May - November[65]
2015 ART FAIRS AND MUSEUM 2015 ArtPrize- Grand Rapids MI Former Madmen Who Make Art - The Belskie Museum - Closter NJ[66]
2014 International Guild of Realism Masterworks Museum Tour - E.W. Norton Galleries - Shreveport LA; Ocala Museum of Art - Ocala FL; Albany Museum of Art - Albany GA[67]
Biography, Allan Gorman. Accessed October 21, 2015. "Allan Gorman currently maintains a studio practice in Kearny, NJ, and resides in West Orange, NJ."