Allred earned an associate of science degree from Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. He studied at Utah State College where received his BFA in 1963 and his MFA in 1967. While at Utah State, he studied with Everett Clark Thorpe who introduced him to the work of Hans Hoffman, Franz Kune, and Robert Motherwell. Allred credits Thorpe as a fundamental influence in his work. Although Allred has worked in clay, his preferred artistic medium is watercolor.

In 1966 Allred began teaching at Snow College where he taught courses in watercolor, drawing, jewelry, and design.

Allred has exhibited his work at the National Academy of Design in New York and at Watercolor USA in Springfield, Missouri where he won the Deborah Weisel Purchase Award for his watercolor Tender (1968), a painting depicting a railroad car. Front Hookup (1984) is another notable watercolor also depicting a train. His works have also been displayed at the Salt Lake Art Center and at the Cache County Art League.

Biographical information on this page was adapted from Artists of Utah.