I’m an aesthete. I’m energized by beauty. Creating art is my own homage to the best of the world around me.

I’m an activist. As a public school teacher, it is evident every day that I work in my community that inequities exist. I strive to stoke a curiosity in students that nudges them to find answers and solutions then confidence to engage in their world and make it a better place.

I’m a keen observer. As the youngest of three and the child of industrious folks, I watched long before I was able to do. I noticed that perseverance really drives the process.

Art for me begins with a quick sketch, often a blind contour, made with a focus on something in my daily life. Walks with our family dog provide frequent encounters with park land and open spaces, wildflowers and deadwood. I select a sketch to move to canvas. I paint in an intuitive way and the image may no longer be tied to the drawing any more. The painting now has its own interest and tone. Lately, I have not stopped there; another layer of transparent papers is applied. It is hard to describe the satisfaction that the added texture and dimensionality give the piece. Even from the beginning it is a satisfying process and I love each step along the way.

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Allison was born on the East Coast and lived all of her childhood in a suburb of Cleveland. She studied literature and art, then left the U.S. for adventures in Asia where she was immersed in language and traditional art experiences. After a few years, her return to the US meant making a home in San Francisco and later the East Bay. All the while, she sketched what she saw. She lives and makes art in her home and teaches in the West Contra Costa School District.