![\"Allison](\"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.com\/blog\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Allison-and-Canine-Inspiration.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nIf you follow us closely, most of you know that this summer we proudly launched our Ongoing Art Contest<\/a>. This means instead of just awarding a winner once a year, we are crowning an independent artist winner and awarding $500 smack-a-roos and a chance to sign a vendor contract to join our UncommonGoods family\u00a0every <\/em>single month. The first winner from our Ongoing Art Contest was appointed to Caribbean resident, Allison Gray. We received amazing entries from through out the nation, yet it was Allison’s lovely “Babe”\u00a0that caught our art judges’ attention. Allison’s eye for detail, use of mixed media, and sweet, creative design of her very own pup landed her into the winning spot. \u00a0In her interview, Allison mentions that “it wasn’t until I began expanding my media usage that I started veering away from strict realism and started redefining my limitations.” We’re more than ecstatic that Allison experimented out of her comfort zone, because as a result “Babe” was created and now will be officially a part of our artist gallery<\/a>! Meet Allison Gray, a fellow animal lover and our latest Art Contest winner.<\/em><\/p>\n Tell us an uncommon fact about yourself.<\/strong><\/p>\n I have very vivid dreams.\u00a0 They actually inspire a lot of my work.\u00a0 I may not necessarily dream about a scene and then wake up and paint it, but the images and emotions that are remnants of my dreams can serve as the stepping stones or foundation of my craft.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t know if the vividness of my dreams is a factor in my sleep pattern, but about 75% of the time, I start sleeping by violently waking up.\u00a0 It\u2019s called a myoclonic jerk \u00a0and of course everyone\u2019s familiar with it\u2014that sudden waking burst of panic preceded by a falling sensation.\u00a0 What\u2019s uncommon in this case is that it\u2019s become routine.\u00a0 I drift off, spasm awake and think, \u201cOh good, that\u2019s done.\u00a0 Now I can really get started on sleeping.\u201d\u00a0 And, without fail, I have these brilliant dreams, saturated with emotion and light.<\/p>\n (I hope I haven\u2019t confused uncommon with odd.)<\/p>\n What different techniques do you use when creating your art?<\/strong><\/p>\n I hate to pigeonhole myself when it comes to craft media.\u00a0 For a long time, I only worked with oil paints and I only recreated realistic images.\u00a0 With the difficulty of transporting necessary oils and thinners to continue my oil painting in Grenada, I opted to instead try a different medium.\u00a0 So I began working with watercolors and from there, branched out further.\u00a0 I began using charcoal, India ink, pen and pencil, and masking techniques.\u00a0 I use bleach, salt and even coffee grounds for different textures and effects.<\/p>\n It wasn’t until I began expanding my media usage that I started veering away from strict realism and started redefining my limitations.\u00a0 One of the first paintings I did in Grenada was of a local boy.\u00a0 The painting was from a photograph I\u2019d taken of him.\u00a0 I already had the picture, so I knew I wanted something more than the photo could offer me.\u00a0 So I filled my palette and painted him with every color that was missing from the photo.\u00a0 When I finished, I knew I\u2019d moved somewhere in my capacity as an artist.\u00a0 And I’ve been moving in that same direction since.<\/p>\n In summary, I have and will continue to use whatever techniques I can to perpetually evolve my artwork and myself as an artist.<\/p>\n Describe your daily life in Grenada.<\/strong><\/p>\n Without an actual career, that varies from day to day.\u00a0 I always try to allot myself a few hours a day to devote to a craft (painting, writing, knitting, photography, etc.).\u00a0 The rest of the time is spread out over responsibilities and recreation.<\/p>\n Of course I’ve got domestic responsibilities.\u00a0 With a medical student for a husband, all household chores sort of fall on me.\u00a0 I\u2019m not totally won over by the cleaning part of the duties, but I love to cook almost as much as I love to eat.\u00a0 It\u2019s hard to complain about having absolute control over the menu.<\/p>\n I run in the mornings.\u00a0 Sometimes I go to the beach during the day and play Frisbee in the sea.\u00a0 I might walk a couple miles to our favorite fruit stand and get our produce for the week from \u201cFireman,\u201d our fruit vendor. \u00a0On Saturdays, we go on hashes.\u00a0 (A hash is an all-terrain [mostly off-road] hike, followed by food and drinks and music, that draws hundreds of participants per week and takes place anywhere on the 132-square-mile island.)\u00a0 Occasionally I\u2019ll take a local bus into town and pick up fresh fish from the fish market.\u00a0 I am an executive board member for St. George\u2019s University Photography Club and perform duties as liaison for the organization.\u00a0 On special occasions, we tour the island, go snorkeling, visit the forts or the cocoa plantation.\u00a0 I spend a lot of time experimenting with\u00a0my photography\u00a0<\/a>and looking for ways to intertwine it with my painting and other crafts.<\/p>\n Of course, sometimes, I just lounge around with my husband and watch movies with a little popcorn and wine.<\/p>\n It\u2019s probably every artist\u2019s dream to travel and live abroad, but does living in the Caribbean have its downfalls?<\/strong><\/p>\n Absolutely it does, but most people don\u2019t want to hear about it.\u00a0 I live in the Caribbean; what business do I have complaining?\u00a0 Even so, this life comes with its own set of difficulties and to reinforce that argument, I actually posted an essay on my blog <\/a>about the pros and cons of being a married couple in the Caribbean, living on student loans, and following the twisted path to our goals.<\/p>\n In short, yes, life in the Caribbean has its downfalls, but the benefits\u2014measured in memories and experiences\u2014far outweigh the comparatively insignificant drawbacks.\u00a0 (I\u2019m writing this from the sandy shore of one of the most beautiful beaches in the world: La Sagesse.)<\/p>\n Where exactly do you go to catch inspiration?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n I love running.\u00a0 I run almost every day.\u00a0 I\u2019m not remarkably good at it.\u00a0 The only records I have or ever will break are my own.\u00a0 But that\u2019s not particularly discouraging to me because it\u2019s the act itself that I enjoy and the reward that I get.\u00a0Specifically, I like going for longer runs (one hour plus).\u00a0 And while I\u2019m running, I have no obligations to pay attention to anything other than my own wandering mind (except perhaps not tripping).\u00a0 That\u2019s a golden time for me to come up with all sorts of ideas for my art.\u00a0 And the only distractions I have are my mind\u2019s own erratic imaginings.<\/p>\n I could probably have a similar experience if I just sat quietly in my apartment, but then I\u2019m usually surrounded by reminders of all my obligations and responsibilities.\u00a0 When I\u2019m running, I\u2019m both metaphorically and literally getting away from \u201cit all\u201d and with that sense of freedom comes a euphoric rush of creativity.<\/p>\n \u00a0What\u2019s your all-time favorite quote that keeps you going?<\/strong><\/p>\n Not including about everything<\/i> Dr. Seuss ever said (how many genius simple truths did he make catchy with a little rhyme?), I\u2019m quite fond of William Faulkner\u2019s \u201cYou cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.\u201d\u00a0 Besides its apropos metaphor, Faulkner\u2019s wisdom rings true in light of our ever-changing future.\u00a0 Without the courage to leave everything behind, we never would have found ourselves living a surreal life in the Caribbean.<\/p>\n When exactly did you discover your talent?<\/strong><\/p>\n I can\u2019t help but feel at least marginally narcissistic going on and on about my talent and my history leading up to the showcasing of my creations!\u00a0 For a very long time, people have been commending me for my talent and while I can and have admitted (does that imply guilt?) that I have an artistic ability that not everyone has, it\u2019s still humbling to come right out and say, \u201cWell, hello, my name is Allison and I am a talented artist.\u201d\u00a0 No matter if I say that out loud or in my head, I always wind up finishing it in a snooty accent.<\/p>\n A popular quote by Pablo Picasso is \u201cEvery child is an artist.\u00a0 The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.\u201d\u00a0 Children have this perishable fearlessness to create anything and then share it with everyone.\u00a0 But at some point the fear of judgment and criticism makes an unwelcome and permanent guest of itself and we hide our creativity.<\/p>\n Maybe it was my peculiar creative courage that gave me the boldness to keep on drawing and painting and creating despite the crushing potential of failure.\u00a0 Or maybe it was because I just didn’t like math class.\u00a0 The truth is, I find solace in artistic expression and am bemusedly stunned every time someone comments on my apparent talent.\u00a0 And when someone does, I think the most appropriate response is to give credit where credit is due.\u00a0 (I never would have submitted my art to this contest if it weren’t for my friend, Cat.\u00a0 I never would have thought to create a paper collage of my beloved dog if it weren’t for my friend, Patty.\u00a0 I wouldn’t have had the heart to create this piece if Babe hadn’t had a foster home while we\u2019re abroad, Lisa.<\/p>\n My direct response to this question\u2014when exactly did you discover your talent: every time someone reminds me.<\/p>\n Do you have any major projects you are working on now?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m afraid I\u2019m going to seem a little boring here, but no, I really don\u2019t.\u00a0 We live as minimalists for the most part and are living in a studio apartment.\u00a0 Working within my means involves smaller projects that are inexpensive and can be tucked away at a moment\u2019s notice.\u00a0 I dream of someday when I can really plan larger-than-life projects.<\/p>\n Are there any particular artists you look up to?\u00a0 What is it about their work that you like?<\/strong><\/p>\n At the risk of sounding trite, I\u2019m going to go ahead and say Bob Ross.\u00a0 I know my work doesn’t exactly radiate the spirit of the amazingly gifted painter, but he did inspire me to pursue painting and to do so with an almost absurd amount of cheerfulness.\u00a0 He\u2019s part of the reason I began painting with oils and stuck with it for so long.\u00a0It would be a blatant lie to suggest Bob Ross is the only artist who has inspired me and influenced my work.\u00a0 Modern art, with its shifting genres and techniques, influences the decisions I make when searching for a new approach to a usual subject.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have a secret list of artists whose techniques I use as a paradigm when creating my own pieces, but draw from methods I’ve seen and admire.<\/p>\n What\u2019s one thing you use\/see every day that you\u00a0couldn’t\u00a0live without?<\/strong><\/p>\n Well, if I\u2019m being materialistic, it\u2019d probably be a draw between the air conditioning or my morning coffee.\u00a0 Probably the coffee, though.\u00a0If I\u2019m being crass, it would be sarcasm.\u00a0If I\u2019m being poetic, it would be love.\u00a0\u00a0If I\u2019m being optimistic, it would be humor. But if I\u2019m being honest, it would be Supporter Extraordinaire and Husband, Ivan.\u00a0 (Cue collective\u00a0aw<\/i>.)\u00a0 There\u2019s plenty I can go without, but I haven\u2019t been without him for seventeen years and I don\u2019t intend to start anytime soon.<\/p>\n
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