Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alison Green. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alison, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I have an adventurous spirit and have not been afraid to take risks and make changes in my life. After a twenty-year career I left my job as an art teacher in New Mexico, sold my house, and moved to Springdale, Utah, to pursue my art and live in beauty by Zion National Park. I loved being a teacher but felt compelled to make a big life shift.

This mirrored a decision forty years ago, when I took off traveling after high school to go see the world. I left my hometown of Calgary and headed to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, to study Spanish. That began an epic journey through Central and South America that lasted over a year. After a short break I spent another year traveling through Asia and Europe.

I came to realize that my peak experiences took place in nature. I knew I would someday combine my love of nature and art in my career.

Risks often pay off, and I’m thrilled to note the many excellent things that happened when I began putting my own art first. I began exhibiting and selling my work, had back-to-back solo exhibitions, and shortly after I moved to Utah, I was selected to be one of the Artists in Residence in Zion National Park (Oct 15 – Nov 15, 2023).

I have intentionally created a new life that aligns fully with my heart and soul. Freeing myself from most of my possessions and living sustainably in a tiny home, connecting with friends, making my art, having a job where I love the people and the work, and being surrounded by incredible natural beauty. I am very fortunate!

I’m thrilled to announce that I will begin guiding Outdoor Art-making Tours in Zion National Park through Zion Guru in Springdale. Soon, I will also facilitate weekly art sessions on the roof-top of Zion Guru’s new building with stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

Like Edward Abbey – the beloved writer who loved Utah and the desert Southwest – I encourage everyone to embrace risk and live a passionate outdoor life. “Benedicto: May your trails be winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. May your rivers flow without end.”

Alison, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My art explores the elegant interconnectivity of all living things. I create encaustic and mixed media paintings that are nature-based abstractions inspired by plants, natural formations, color, texture, and wild places. Images from nature such as botanicals, trees, and birds have long served as symbols and archetypes in the human imagination. I love the concept of “Biophilia” as described by American biologist E.O. Wilson who suggests that humans have an innate connection with the natural world. Humans need nature in order to stay mentally healthy, and the Earth needs humans to care more about environmental protection.

As an Outdoor Art Guide, I’m excited to unite my various passions and skills in art, the outdoors, art education, art therapy, adventuring and traveling. Zion National Park – and much of southern Utah – feels like a gigantic sacred space. To people who are open to it, a resonance can happen between one’s soul and the soul of the world. Many people feel this power in Zion Canyon. Art is non-verbal, and it can beautifully express the fleeting, intangible felt sense of wildness and beauty.

Engaging in art making outside is one of the best ways to invite awe, mystery, psychological grounding and healing. In the same way that ancient myths and stories continue to speak to us on a deep level, nature beckons to us, calling us to leave our tech-dominated lives for a while, to reconnect with our own true nature.

After completing my BFA in Painting & Drawing and MA in Art Therapy, I worked at an Outdoor Resource Center near Santa Fe, NM, facilitating therapeutic ropes courses and obtaining my WFR (Wilderness First Responder) certification. That led to a position in the Experiential Education Department at a well-regarded independent school, where I took students on outdoor adventure trips and taught Outdoor Leadership.

After several years, I moved to the Visual Art Department, where I taught Drawing and Painting and AP (Advanced Placement) Studio courses. I developed a skill-based art curriculum, and took students outside on unique Wilderness Art Trips (multi-day art/camping trips in New Mexico and Utah). I’ve always felt that the best teachers are passionate about their subject matter, as they naturally transmit that excitement to their students.

In 2017 I began focusing on my own art-making, and in 2021, I left New Mexico and eventually moved to Springdale, Utah.
As an artist who lives and works at Zion National Park, I’m inspired to guide people to amazing locations and facilitate art making that will expand and reinforce experiences in this landscape. I emphasize a fun, personalized approach to art-making, with an open, welcoming acceptance of wherever someone is in their journey. You don’t need to be an experienced artist, or exceptionally fit. If you and your partner or you and some friends or family are looking for something unique to do in Zion, consider an outdoor art making tour.

Whether you want to work realistically, abstractly or interpretively, it’s up to you as you capture the day in a visual way, and take home an original artwork and a small art kit that is provided. More and more people are drawn to wild places of beauty, wanting to slow down, put the phones away, pay attention and be present in the moment. Tapping into the experience of joy through art and the outdoors in what my guided art tours are all about.

I’m proud of the work I did as a high school Art Teacher for almost two decades. Mentoring, guiding, teaching, and facilitating art-making were all central to my teaching, but most importantly I strived to connect with individuals and participate in creative collaboration with them. I encouraged young people to follow their creative fire inside.

But in addition to a creative spirit, young artists also need tangible skills and discipline to express themselves fluidly and confidently. By providing knowledge and discipline, and using the geography of the desert Southwest as an outdoor classroom, a unique synthesis took place. I am deeply proud of the work I did and the work my students did in creating original, high quality art work.

Twenty years of teaching art to motivated young students and a profound love of sharing backcountry experiences helped me recognize the transformative power when art and nature dance and flow together.

In addition to my background in art, my education in art therapy and depth psychology helped me develop a deep awareness of the imaginal, the archetypal and the mythological. My varied life experience has led to wisdom, presence, patience, perspective. For me, the passage of time has taught acceptance, grace, gratitude, and I see more clearly the distinction between the ideal and the real, the importance of being in the Now, about letting go and holding lightly.

● My art work is for sale on my artist website – alisongreenartist.com
● https://alisongreenartist.com/
● You can view and purchase my paintings at Juniper Sky Gallery, (Kayenta Art Village), UT
● Guided Outdoor Art Making Tours through Zion Guru, Springdale UT (starting soon)
● Evening Art Sessions – Zion Guru Rooftop, Springdale UT (starting soon)

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My creative journey has always been inspired by the natural world and outdoor experiences. I feel that Nature is sacred, valuable and important and I care deeply about conservation of wilderness, plants, animals. As an Outdoor Art Guide by Zion National Park, I love inspiring by example and feel privileged to share the intensity and power of this special place.
I find that many people are longing to reconnect with the self, with nature, with soul. The pandemic created isolation, loneliness, and a sense of lack of purpose or meaning. National Parks were inundated with people visiting as they sought experiences in nature and beauty so they could feel alive and connected again to their natural “home.”

My mission, my purpose, my gift is to help others experience and feel “biophilia” – even briefly – so they remember who they are and what is most important.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I think all creative professionals need to develop a resilient mindset, as it’s not the easiest career path at times. Being an artist requires resilience and stubbornness. There are ups and downs and challenges in terms of productivity, financial wellbeing, balancing the business side and the creative practice. It can be a solitary life at times spending long hours in the studio.

Cultivating resilience early on is helpful and necessary. You must believe enough in yourself to keep exploring, developing, growing, evolving. Knowing that fallow periods and creative dry spells are normal — painful, but normal. Everyone experiences them. You just have to start, again and again. Embrace beginner’s mind. Find a mentor, reach out to other artists, ask questions, keep learning.

I first studied art at a rather cynical time in the art world – the late 1980’s – when some critics declared that painting was dead, realism and figurative work was out of favor, and many art professors either didn’t or couldn’t teach the essential skills of drawing and painting. My love of art-making was strong however, so I kept at it and finally landed a job as an art teacher where I had an outstanding mentor who helped me finally gain the confidence to become a true artist myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: alisongreenartist.com
• Instagram: @alisongreenartist

Image Credits
Nick Martino