Meet the artist
I’m Alley - I’m a third generation artist and have been creating throughout my whole life. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs but am now happy to call Colorado home!
I’ve always been drawn to nature and feel a profound difference in my mind and body when I “unplug” (what a crazy thing it is that we as humans need to “unplug”). My goal through my art is to slow down and form a deeper connection with the world around me. To notice and appreciate the beauty in each moment.
Life is getting faster and faster, and more and more digital and artificial. I like to think that painting can help combat that, one brushstroke at a time. I hope my work helps you feel more present and connected too.
What is plein air?
The term “plein air” is a french phrase meaning “in open air”. When an artist creates en plein air, it means they are creating outdoors, on location.
Painting from life in nature provides a lot of unique challenges - quickly changing light and shadows, seeing paint colors differently in the sunshine or shade, and being impacted by the elements - heat, cold, rain, wind, even bugs.
In my opinion, these factors give plein air paintings a special, raw feeling. They’re probably not as perfect and polished as studio paintings. But they’ve seen the same view you see when you look at it - they were created there, impacted by the real elements there. That authenticity adds something beautifully intangible to the artwork.
As an artist, my favorite part of plein air painting is the opportunity to just sit and observe an environment for so long. You get to see things that you would miss if you were just passing through. You get to know that place deeply, see wildlife that only ventures out in the stillness, and form a connection between environment, artist, and artwork that can’t be recreated anywhere else.
I paint both plein air and in a studio setting, and the observations from my plein air work provide deeper insight into my studio work as well.
I do not use generative AI in any part of my creative process. Not in my references, not in my titles or words. I value the soul in human creativity.