Alison

Alison did this portrait of me

Alison is a self-taught artist who works in various mediums and styles, from carefully detailed animal portraits to abstract expressionism. 

She has exhibited her work in Toronto's Danforth district and in Orangeville, where she owned and operated a studio/gallery. It was there she met and unwittingly befriended one of Canada's most dangerous criminals, an experience which led to her published book, A Friend of the Family, and a subsequent made-for-TV movie.  

Her fascination with the human condition and the need for self-expression led to a BA in psychology.

Drawing from her experiences as a social services counsellor combined with her artistic skill, Alison created Express Yourself with Paint with intent to explore the range of human emotion through visual art. Participating groups have included people with physical and emotional challenges, college and university faculty on retreats, and teens and adults.

Alison currently works as an academic English tutor. With her partner, Jay, she is currently filming a documentary for Guelph's Hidden Histories project which focuses on her pastel rendering of an historic commercial building which sits abandoned in one of Guelph's oldest neighbourhoods.