I wanted to study art. However, growing up in Yorkshire in the miners’ strike you didn’t do that! You had to have a sensible job. At 16, my careers’ teacher, (you had one then), didn’t think girls should be thinking outside of the area. He thought I could be a hairdresser. Really, with eczema! He suggested nursing. My parents were both nurses and it was not for me. Even though my Dad was one of the first male nurses in the country and both parents were superb dedicated nurses but I had heard enough about hospital dramas over the dinner table. It was like an oral Casualty every night!

I stayed in the sixth form and studied the sensible subjects eg English. It came in useful. I taught it for over 30 years yet, art was inside me. Luckily, I sketched and built stage sets. Art on a huge scale. I enjoyed creating Deadwood, Fagin’s den and a Beauty School. I found ways of creating art links in my lessons. Art in religion, set designs, creating masks, reading pictures, links to poetry, media studies to name but a few. Again, I was lucky when I filled in timetable gaps teaching art. That went well and then I continued.

Teaching art kept me sane, especially being a Headteacher!

About Me as All.is.on.

I find walking, sketching and taking photographs gives me great pleasure and gives me a well balanced equilibrium; in other words, happiness.

Throughout my teaching career I kept these hobbies going. Life was full and my name Allison seemed appropriate as All.is.on. me to get the work done. Now I get to do art full time as I took early retirement. Long story……but well being and health came first. And there was this longing to create art. I decided I would ‘seize the opportunity’ and do as I had told so many children… “to follow your dreams.”

I love creating the art and spend hours appreciating the journey in development. I am fortunate to live by the ever changing sea and nearby the majestical Sussex Downs. I travel, sustainably, throughout Europe and the United Kingdom for inspiration, often walking for miles to find that moment of inspiration.

These wood reliefs are all inspired by walks in Brighton and Hove and Wales and even dreams.

Sometimes, I can’t explain it but I wake up with an image and I must draw it and then create it.

The above painting, now in a new home, came from a dream. I thought about the world as stained glass and how nature frames the world.

This image came from a dream. I created different ones using chine colle. Each piece I produce has a different feel creating unique art.

I belong to two artist communities in Kemptown, Brighton. One The Kemptown Artists and the second the print making community at Bip Art. Both are supportive and have lead to exciting exhibits at Artist Open Houses in May and Christmas, and Grey Walls Gallery, Brighton Marina.

I create print relief works and oil painting. I work in tandem between these methods as I believe they influence me in the designs, brush strokes and carving.

Where you can find my work?

I regularly show at the Brighton Craft Fair, Friends’ Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton; at the Artist Open Houses in May and Christmas. I Instagram my work in progress and whilst drying etc. If you see anything you like DM message me on Instagram.

Prices:

To give you a guide here are a few standard prices. All prices are reasonable, considering the quality, time, materials and uniqueness of the art.

An oil painting 30 cms by 25cms canvas is £85 plus p+p

A wood relief 30 cms by 25cms ranges from £35 to £55 depending on processes, materials and framing.

Some work currently available

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Oil painting ‘Between Storms’ at The Claremont, Hove.

Selection of Snowdonia oil paintings.

Lithograph, traditional Victorian methods used. Entitled ‘Monet’s World’.