We recently connected with Allyson McDuffie and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Allyson, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

After spending many years working in tech and raising kids, with making art taking a back seat, at the age of 59, I quit my corporate job and set out to make art full time. I’ve been an artist my whole life, but like most, I’ve worked a variety of jobs to make financial ends meet. I graduated from Ohio University with a BFA in Studio Arts and a MFA in Printmaking in the 1980’s and quickly set my sights on moving to Boulder, CO, where the sun shines 300+ days a year and being queer is easier than in Ohio. For years I had a makeshift studio in my home. After leaving my corporate job in 2022, I looked at renting a studio, but high rent prices and some pretty deplorable spaces had me wondering if I’d ever be able to leave my 120sf extra bedroom studio. Last October, my wife and I were visiting artist studios in Boulder County during the annual Open Studios Tour. We meet an artist named Lily who has an incredible studio space tucked into a neighborhood that I had no idea existed before then. Two months later, a commercial studio space next to hers went up for sale. We decided buying a space was a far better option than renting, knowing it would be a good investment as well as the perfect place to work and open a gallery. We got possession in January, and just had our grand opening on April 5th!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Allyson McDuffie (she/they) received a BFA (Studio Arts) and MFA (Printmaking) from Ohio University, Athens. She has lived in Boulder, CO since 1992 and has worked primarily in the mediums of printmaking, drawing, painting, mixed media, and photography, with a more recent exploration into digital drawing. Growing up in the 1960’s and 70’s as a Tomboy in the gritty, blue-collar town of Springfield, Ohio, they so wanted a Fox Condor minibike, they would have sold all of their brothers for one. She spent a lot of time running around shirtless, climbing trees, constructing bike ramps for epic skid-mark competitions, playing basketball, listening to R&B music, bowling, pondering the theory of an infinite Universe, making trips to the ER for stitches, collecting lightning bugs – and drawing.

On April 5, 2024, Kin Gallery and Studio had its grand opening with work on exhibit by McDuffie. Kin Studio and Gallery is owned by Allyson and her wife, Wendy Gram. A slate of upcoming guest artists at Kin is scheduled through 2024.

Explore more at kinstudioboulder.com

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I grew up in Springfield, Ohio, raised by a single mother of 3 children until I was 9 when she remarried. My parents were very hard-working people, having jobs for decades with the same companies (my step-father worked in a factory that manufactured oil and gas engines; my mother was a nurse in the local community hospital). With 5 kids between them, were we among the many working poor families in town. Figuring out how to pay for my college education was difficult, but by piecing together grants, scholarships, work-study, associate teaching, and student loans, I made it through graduate school. There’s a lot of stigma placed on people who live in poverty, without much questioning of why it can often run through generations and how difficult the US is terms of keeping up with inflation and the pressure to constantly consume things. I’ve worked some form of job(s) since I was 12 – and did things to support myself I wouldn’t wish upon my own children. It took many years, but I dug myself out, eventually working at Google for 6 years, then another tech company for 10. But, the corporate world was always stressful for me, and I often felt like an imposter. Growing up poor can do that to a person – often doubting we deserve what we’ve worked so hard to obtain. Eighteen years of corporate life took a toll on my health and overall well-being. I often told my friends I felt like my death would occur from stress while at my desk at work. Two years into Covid, I had had enough. I told my wife one day that I didn’t think I could take another day. Luckily, I’m married to an incredibly wise and supportive person who responded with, “then quit – today”. And I did just that. I have not looked back. I am living my best authentic life now. It’s never too late to lean into your gift to this world. Mine is my art, and people are responding to it. I am building a new community of artist peers and loving every minute.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

My wife and I have done a decent job of investing our money, with a diverse portfolio including real estate. I’ve always been a big fan of tangible assets, and real estate meets that requirement like no other. We agreed that having money sit in a retirement account until we die isn’t really optimizing the dreams we have now, so we moved some funds into buying a studio property and starting the gallery. I’ve done a lot of the improvements to the space myself, and with the help of a friend who knows construction, so we’ve saved there. My goal is to keep creating and having fun, and trust the sales will follow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kinstudioboulder.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kinstudioboulder/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allysonmcduffie/

Image Credits
Allyson McDuffie