Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Allison Belolan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Allison, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
It’s hard to call it one “project” but the beginning of the current trajectory of my work started over a week in residency at Zero Foot Hills in Connecticut, in the winter of 2022. That is when I started to get interested in how to bring more of a sense of place or connection to place in my collages. I began taking photographs, rubbings, and creating cyanotypes as a way of documenting my surroundings. I also began foraging more, and experimenting with more ways to document and incorporate the found materials with sketches and prints. Those experiments have continued, and led me to papermaking and ink/dye making. Another formative aspect of the Zero Foot Hills residency is learning about my process and cycle of artmaking: documenting, experimenting, creating and refining. This is a process that feels right for my work, and one that I have been able to refine going forward. The discoveries I made at Zero Foot Hills residency informed a series of art inspired by Ward Pound Ridge Reservation that I began while at another residency at the Yellow Studio in Cross River, NY, and continues to inform my work and process now. Currently I am deep in experimentation of papermaking using recyeld and natural materials, and ink/dye making using natural materials.
Zero Foot Hills was also a major turning point in my practice. While I have always been in a creative career, it was only recently that I began focusing on my own art. In 2019 I left teaching to focus on my own art and my family. Prior to then I had been an art teacher, a costume jewelry designer, and a handful of other creative endeavors – but always creating for others, and very rarely for myself. Looking back 2019 – 2022 was very much about learning how to make my own art again. Zero Foot Hills is when I finally started to understand my artistic voice.
I’ll be at The Other Art Fair Chicago, April 11-14th, and in a group show at The Yellow Studio in Cross River, NY opening early July.
Allison, 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?
After discovering my love of art in high school, I went on to undergrad at the Rhode Island School of Design, studying Printmaking and graduating in 2001. From there I lived in Providence working as a costume jewelry designer until returning to NY to get a degree in jewelry design at the Fashion Insititute of Technology. From there I worked in the accessories and costume jewelry industry until returning to school again in 2008 to get a master’s in Art Education from the School of Visual Arts, graduating in 2009. I taught art in NY public schools until 2019, when I went on leave from teaching while recovering from arm surgeries. While I was recovering I finally had time to make my own art again, and was loving it. Then Covid hit, and with 2 kids of my own in elementary school, I decided to leave teaching to focus on caring for my family and creating my own art.
When I graduated from RISD, we were taught that the options for making a career as an artist were to get discovered by a gallery or work in a design field. Or work as a studio/gallery assistant until you are discovered by that gallery. Had I known more about other options for creating a career as an artist, I may have had a different trajectory. I have learned a lot from my experiences though, many of which are evidenced in my practice today.
When I was at RISD I chose to study printmaking because I was drawn to the process and its physicality. At the time I wasn’t very sure what kind of artist I was, and it felt like there were so many possibilities with printmaking that I could do anything. I liked the focus on learning the tools and materials, as idea generation was a skill that I hadn’t learned about yet. Even now It often takes me a while to envision an idea, Ideation is a slow process for me. I realized that when I left college, I wasn’t entirely comfortable with or sure about how to be an artist. Working in the design field made sense to me because I was essentially given the assignment to follow as I had for a large chunk of my artistic training. I think that is also in part what drew me to study printmaking – a large focus was learning the process and how to use the tools and materials, not so much on developing our own ideas and bodies of work.
As a teacher, I came to embrace the Teaching For Artistic Behavior (or TAB) philosophy which s all about the student being the artist and the student taking ownership of their work in the art studio. Instead of teaching a specific project that students follow, the focus of teaching shifts to helping students understand and discover how to be artists through the Studio Habits of Mind. The Studio Habits of Mind are a set of eight ways of thinking that help artists develop their creative skills, persevere through challenges, and learn from their experiences. Students learn how to generate ideas, how to reflect on their work, and more. Through this teaching practice, I strengthened my own thinking as an artist, especially when it came to idea generation. Whether I knew it or not, I was learning those thinking skills right alongside my students, and truly believe that has helped me in my own practice as an artist.
In the four years since I began to focus on my own work, I have grown as an artist so much, I am sometimes astounded. I’ve learned that observation is the foundation of my practice. I’ve learned to combine that with documentation and experimentation to develop ideas and follow where they go. The process is very important, and something I treasure.
In my recent work, I interpret landscapes that I have personally experienced through research and documentation of specific locations, particularly local county parks. I utilize various artistic techniques, including alternative photographic processes, papermaking, frottage, and photography, to capture the essence of these environments. The resulting data then serves as source material for larger compositions using collage, handmade papers, toned cyanotypes and more.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I am an avid reader, and strong in my faith that the answer to almost everything can be found in a book. The books that I have found most helpful and inspiring for my practice as an artist, both creative and managerial, are: Art/Work by Heather Darcy Bhandari and Jonathan Melber because of its wealth of practical advice for navigating the art world. I find myself referring back to it again and again. Another one for the business side of things is Mind Your Business by Ilana Griffo. It’s a workbook to help you clarify your vision and goals. My favorite books for thinking about creativity and creative practice are Akademie X Lessons in Art + Life, a compilation of advice and “lessons” from many, some legendary, artists. I always love reading about other artists’s practices, and this book is full of insights. Recently I read Get the Picture by Bianca Bosker, and it is a surprise favorite if only because it is an excellent reminder that the art world is a crazy place.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
More people should buy art! I think that many people feel that they don’t have enough understanding of art, or enough money to buy art…that they don’t know what “good” art is and that collecting art is only for the rich. This is so untrue, and because the galleries and art world in general make it feel exclusive on purpose. But the reality is, there are so many great artists out there, and that there is a type of art out there for everyone. What really matters is that you, as a buyer, like it. That is what makes art good – that you as a person connect to it, love it, and want to look at it every single day. There is a ton of art out there just waiting for you. Go to some local art fairs, go check out the local gallery, look online for art. If you see something you like, buy it. If you can’t afford it, talk to the artists! Many times artists have prints available or have payment plans. I also like to remind my followers on social and my newsletter that there are 3 ways to support artists without buying their work: 1: Sign Up – Get on their newsletters for inspiration and insider access. Stay in the loop with the latest work and specials. 2: Spread the Word – Share posts and chat about admired artists. Word of mouth is powerful, so spread away! 3: Show Up – Attend openings, events & meetups. Your presence encourages the artist and makes the event all the more special.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.allisonbelolanart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisonbelolanart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonbelolanart
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-belolan-0a4a89207/