Allison Hudson b. 1969

I sculpt, paint, and draw, moving between disciplines in a way that is not consciously interconnected but integral to my practice. My work is tactile yet fragile – a combination of unfired clay, wool, fabric, resin, dry pigment, and wax. It’s important for me to touch and mold my work, to leave a personal imprint on each piece. Driven to manipulate raw materials into something new and unrecognizable, I enjoy the physicality of building, tearing apart, and mending together — striving to create work that is at once ethereal and visceral.

Cycles, the blur between beginnings and endings, and the emergence of growth from decay are concepts that have been a constant fascination for me. My current work focuses on the exploration of metamorphosis. I use imagery that suggests elements of the human form including hair, skin, and bones – or that which can be lost, sloughed off, become broken, and then regenerate over time. The fundamental shape of an egg or pod serves as the starting structure in many of my works. At the beginning of the cycle the pod is full and fertile. After transformation, it’s empty but open – only a shell, husk, or cocoon remains. It’s my inner world that inspires my art. As I reflect on these cycles of change, I hope that I’m able to create a space for the viewer that invites contemplation.    

Allison Hudson was born and raised outside Philadelphia, PA. After earning her B.A. from Vassar in Asian Studies, she studied painting and sculpture at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) and ceramic sculpture in the MFA program at the University of Arizona. She pursued creative careers as an entrepreneur, a nationally recognized cake designer, and a marketer. In 2020, Allison kick-started her reemergence as a professional artist. Since then, she has taken part in juried group shows, been named to the short list for the Collective Challenge 21 (No Name Collective Gallery and Magazine), and sold work to a growing group of collectors worldwide. Her works have been featured on prominent social media accounts such as New and Abstract, Arttyco, Alexander Jackert, and Alessandro Stein. Currently, Allison lives in Portland, Oregon and can be found on most days working in her backyard studio.