Post: 10 Questions Asked to All.is.on
- When did you know you wanted to be an artist? At 16 years old.
- Why did you not follow the dream then? Unemployment rife in the North. Needed a secure job. Played schools as a child…..so naturally I became a teacher!
- Did you give up on your dream? No, I kept being creative by teaching art and drama, creating set designs, writing school plays. Painted as a hobby for my own well being.
- When did you become an artist full time? In my 50s.
- Why then? After an interesting life, including surviving breast cancer, and fulfilling other dreams of being a Head of English Department and ultimately a successful Headteacher. Ironically, the Local Authority restructured and I faced redundancy. Having been through .the breast cancer I made the decision that life is too short, so took the plunge and here I am: an artist.
- Where do you create your work? Bip-Art , Kemptown a community of printers where I print larger works using Victorian printing presses. For smaller print work and paintings I work in my garden studio, which I built with the redundancy money.
- Have you had any formal training? I have learnt from numerous teachers, through workshops and by teaching myself. I am a lifelong learner and still learning. You can’t teach work from the heart and soul and that’s what I do.
- Where do your ideas come from? Sometimes, I wake up and I have to draw my dream. Then I decide whether it’s a painting or carving. Some paintings and wood reliefs are inspired by walks and travels. I sketch, take photographs and then create back in the studio. Sometimes, I hear a story, such as swimming with turtles and then that inspires a series of work.
- Why do you create your work? Each piece of work brings joy and inner peace to me. I want to bring joy to the viewer and create a piece for your home that brings you happiness.
- Do you take commissions? Yes, recently painted a private garden, a sunflower woodcut and a favourite view. People can email me at rydonallison@icloud.com or DM me on Instagram allisonart.org. This starts the conversation on your idea, choice of materials, size, colours etc. It’s a joint process and one we share every step of the way together.
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