We’re looking forward to introducing you to Alison Fullerton. Check out our conversation below.
Alison, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: When was the last time you felt true joy?
Nothing in my life has helped me achieve mindfulness as much as cycling. The rhythm of pedaling, feeling the wind and the air, the aromas, the endorphins, and feeling so close with nature. Cycling is a great way to get away from things and connect with Mother Nature. My husband and I take bikepacking trips. You notice so much more traveling by bike than you do in a car or train. This summer we biked in the French Alps, Switzerland, Germany and Lichtenstein. I had countless moments of joy, turning a corner and being suddenly greeted with a majestic view of the Alps, or a stunning azure-blue lake such as Lake Brienz in Switzerland. Being so connected with nature has influenced my art, and I see the changes appearing in my work.
“The bicycle has a soul. If you succeed to love it, it will give you emotions you will never forget.” -Mario Cipollini (Cipo) – Italian cyclist.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a feminist narrative artist. I like to paint tributes to women who have important stories to tell or have defied traditional female roles. My most recent series is “FLY GIRLS” which celebrates the WWII WASP, the Women Air Force Service Pilots who flew for the US military but never received military recognition or benefits. They spent decades fighting to gain recognition and secure their place in history. It was not until 1977 that the WASP were granted veterans’ benefits. This 10-painting exhibition toured museums nationally from 2023-2025, and now are part of the permanent collections at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton Ohio, and Texas Women’s University in Denton, Texas, home of the Official Wasp Archives.
Next year is a milestone- my 10 year anniversary as a full time artist. I see my work transitioning into more abstract expressive portraiture– less representational portrait work. I have been very influenced being immersed in nature for weeks at a time while bikepacking in Europe the past two summers. I have a greater sense of wonder about the connection between Man and Nature from these experiences. This is what I seek to express.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
I’ve released my need to study different art mediums and techniques. My focus now is developing my artistic voice.
For many years I felt the need to study art materials. I experimented in many mediums, especially encaustic wax, which is fascinating, and lends itself to a host of unique techniques you can’t accomplish in other mediums, such as the shellac burn texture, as an example. I LOVE all mediums, ie acrylic, oil, watercolor, encaustic, pastel, ceramics, textiles, etc.–but it takes an incredible amount of time to study each one.
I think focusing on the medium too much can be distracting. It’s more important to find one’s voice as an artist. If you have a clear voice, it will speak through any medium.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Many people don’t know that in 2017 I had a traumatic brain injury, a subdural hematoma, which happened from a fall I had a month after I’d had a concussion from a bike fall. The brain is more fragile after a concussion and is more susceptible to injury. It’s called the ‘repetitive head injury’ risk you hear about with football players.
My brain injury led to an immediate change in my ability to draw & paint figuratively. Suddenly, painting portraits just flowed easily. It turns out that brain injuries can indeed result in a brain ‘re-wiring’ and lead to changes in skills in areas like art, music, or mathematics.
So despite the problems I had with memory, the brain injury was a turning point in my creativity.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Many people see me as an extrovert because they know me from my former career in corporate marketing. I didn’t realize that I am an introvert until I became an artist. I love my alone time. I realize now that being around people all day drained me. Painting alone actually feeds my energy–I feel charged when I am working. I can, when I need to, ‘turn myself on’ for art show or events, but I need to recharge my batteries after!
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What will you regret not doing?
I regret that I let ‘cycling culture’ intimidate me, and I didn’t start riding regularly until about 6 years ago. I missed out on years of joy and mindfulness. Cycling in groups can be intimidating. They are usually fast and competitive. I regret that I missed out on so much joy, and I now try to lead rides for beginners and slower riders. My husband and I now advocate for ‘slow travel’ bikepacking and we have a blog and social media to share our stories and experiences.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alisonfullertonart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alison_fullerton/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlisonFullertonArt
