Allison Larsen

Let me share a little about what inspires my art. I love nature. I love to hike. Stones are one of the many things I notice when I am outside in natural spaces. Stones come in all shapes and sizes. Stones are colored based on their locality involving the type of soil and conditions that developed the stones. The colors of stones remind me of hiking experiences – the places, the day, and the people with whom I hiked. Stacked stones (also known as cairns) reassure one they are on the right path. They guide direction as a trail marker. Often, I think of prayer as a means to seek trail markers of God’s providence, guiding my direction in life to navigate situations and decisions. When I feel I have lost my way I pray for God to show me a trail marker. As for style, I do not consider myself a realistic painter. I create to share a feeling, a mood, an experience… something where words are not enough to convey what is in my heart. For me, abstract painting helps me communicate because I feel less constrained to what something should look like specifically. Over past summers, my husband and I have escaped the Arizona heat to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I met a Pueblo artist who shared with me the meaning of Native American symbols. With this inspiration I’ve played with these symbols and shapes in my paintings; they keep drawing me in. A circle is symbolic of blessing. In many of my paintings, I place a circle on top of a cairn. For me, it transforms the simple stack of stones into a marker for a blessed trail. I love the paradox of balancing a round object on an already precariously balanced stack of stones. It feels so fragile and dynamic at the same time. All the more gratitude for trail markers that guide me on a blessed trail.