We were lucky to catch up with Allie Spurlock recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Allie, thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?
Though I’ve been making art my whole life, it has only contributed to my income for the last few years. I’m glad that I came to work in the art world later on, it gave me a chance to develop who I am as person and an artist and build my work ethic doing other jobs.
Allie, 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?
I was raised in Washington State but have been in Southeast Alaska for 8 years now. I’ve been working in and around the fishing industry for all my time here and I feel very connected to it. My art is primarily out on decommissioned fishing gear; buoys that wash ashore, glass balls, shells, and fish tags. My line work usually depicts marine life and fishing related things. To me this work is very personal because it is so intertwined with Alaskan life both in the content and the medium itself. What I love about this work is making custom pieces for fishermen with their boats, and making pieces that connect with everyone whose lives have been touched by this industry in some way.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
As I have a foot in both worlds, sometimes it’s hard for non creative workforce to understand that flow of creative work. I occasionally have to explain that I can clock in or out no matter how bad a day I’m having, but I can’t start a drawing without having an idea first.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My main goal in creating pieces is having an artistic outlet for myself. I wouldn’t want to find myself in a place where making art work is no longer fun and feels like a chore.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alliespurlock.com
- Instagram: @sallisonspurlock
