A Visit with Artist Alyson Fox
November 6, 2023 — Interviews
Hi Alyson! Thank you for taking the time to chat with us today. How are you?
Hi to you! Thank you for the opportunity to put some thoughts down on paper! I’m good. A new moon is tomorrow, which makes me feel…I don’t know…energetic? Confused? Sad? Yes, all of those at once. I have been eating a ton of peaches and nectarines! They are in season right now for a hot minute and are insanely delicious. We live pretty close to a beach that is beautiful and sunny in the summer (and beautiful and rainy in the winter), so we’ve been doing that often. I’m also organizing hard drives, procrastinating, and second guessing/picking materials for the house addition we’re working on.
![Alyson holds up her dog, Stache, somewhere in the desert. She wears green shorts and boots, and the background is blue sky and desert terrain.](https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0802.jpg?w=2400&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698163152&s=dd84b44fb2416ade3ba3bfee9c2e1c9d 2400w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0802.jpg?w=2160&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698163152&s=2be9608de1a33c2a3675143ad8785dc1 2160w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0802.jpg?w=1920&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698163152&s=d7d8eb950702df47dcd46cb67c1f3a02 1920w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0802.jpg?w=1680&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698163152&s=978c3d9cd5cc77fb078e82bbad6ff9b0 1680w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0802.jpg?w=1440&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698163152&s=5c0671a7de15d494126cc4c9282af8af 1440w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0802.jpg?w=1200&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698163152&s=c0b40cec236d62f1128c1ee96daa485d 1200w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0802.jpg?w=1080&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698163152&s=fabafc0e5b662182981e805a16a3e0e9 1080w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0802.jpg?w=960&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698163152&s=79afd122c72fc7aba399288ae0fa3769 960w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0802.jpg?w=720&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698163152&s=c344d94814244d4802bc1e568f31dbe6 720w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0802.jpg?w=640&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698163152&s=e12ced749545e2b207c9d0219262e8af 640w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0802.jpg?w=480&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698163152&s=6cd69e8d4ba135c4644595c54b07374c 480w)
![A portrait of an ikebana piece made by Alyson.](https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=2400&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=892cee4d662113c0481579c20f2b097d 2400w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=2160&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=db893321b71a5ae9c28167c9273e424f 2160w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=1920&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=b88e3f04eed3437e2619dc986194894c 1920w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=1680&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=70e2fd3aebb7b6cecff56a9b1a773aaf 1680w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=1440&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=5edff9cb98fcafaa4788547006835603 1440w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=1200&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=3f76815664aa607ece957e2c4c6786d3 1200w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=1080&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=2cfe997b0ae989343a11562256d1b775 1080w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=960&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=bbacd65ec1475a48a234c4490be4c02f 960w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=720&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=420181748aabbd0533d594013345038f 720w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=640&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=b8fe83915b60599dade2345933edbbd1 640w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=480&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=a8a96bd21bd8b32b4c97fb0cfe25100d 480w)
Your work spans across a variety of mediums. Clay, textile design, and (newly!!) hand knit sweaters. Where did you find your footing in the creative world, and how would you describe the trajectory of your work?
I think I am still finding my footing. I never feel truly comfortable about any of it. Or certain of anything. My work is playful and exploratory and I try to be honest with myself. I feel lucky and sometimes guilty to be able to devote time to it and sort it all out. I work hard, but I have a partner that has my back and encourages me.
In terms of trajectory, it’s much easier to connect dots when you’re looking back, but I didn’t have much of a plan at the beginning. I got lucky when some lovely people posted my work years ago on some wonderful blogs which lead to collaborations designing dishware and rugs and jewelry and clothes – just a weird assortment of opportunities that I’m very grateful for. I’ve worked with other designers and artisans and craftspeople and learned a great deal. While designing things, I have also always made things I would put more in the art category…photographs, drawings, kind of performative collaborations. Often the things I’m doing are somewhere within that spectrum between design and art.
You recently sold your home in Texas and are remodeling a house on the Oregon coast. Was it hard to leave your place in Texas, especially since you and your partner built it together?
It was hard to leave family and friends, but we were emotionally ready to leave the house. We had 10 great years there. I loved the process of working on a space with my husband and it was something we wanted to do again. The impetus though really began when we found out our dog, Stache, had lymphoma, and then, shortly after, I found out I had thyroid cancer. And, of course, the pandemic had just started. It was a lot! After our dog passed and I got my thyroid removed, we just felt like a major change was needed.
We found a place on the Oregon coast that had big mossy trees and felt diametrically opposed to the central Texas landscape. It has been a great place to catch our breath and it’s looking like we may have a studio built soon. I know what a privilege it is to create a space just for making. For the last three years I have been working on top of a dishwasher box, in the corner of our bedroom where the carpet was pulled up, next to some tools I had to hurdle. While it’s all been lovely and freeing in some ways, I feel lucky to be getting a spot where things stay put and maybe a tad nervous that some pressure will come along with it. My husband gets a huge shout out here because he is taking on all the contracting and finishing work so we could afford to do the studio sooner than later. I think he can tell my OCD brain is at its maximum capacity of functioning.
![Alyson hugs a huge tree on the Oregon coast.](https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0810.jpg?w=2400&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162815&s=6997514a4d8ace7a3676fdb7061a24f0 2400w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0810.jpg?w=2160&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162815&s=dfb5d7deb8aca6d6bbee84667df35a93 2160w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0810.jpg?w=1920&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162815&s=1027c0a110ac5891b1c6d84d76c6ca22 1920w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0810.jpg?w=1680&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162815&s=3b8940c4c2a26ce72438f0b02c5db8e1 1680w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0810.jpg?w=1440&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162815&s=2cd2ab663aba14e076596a654adb20b7 1440w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0810.jpg?w=1200&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162815&s=c3b98ae358aa57138d26b9264886e957 1200w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0810.jpg?w=1080&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162815&s=cf82236b6cdff2439e3869e6000680c3 1080w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0810.jpg?w=960&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162815&s=40300a10a535a59f71e314477bc798c2 960w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0810.jpg?w=720&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162815&s=1bb7a4991918b16a0bf1be1c8a0b2618 720w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0810.jpg?w=640&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162815&s=2f8380ce336ef0d7f516f36c09d27d10 640w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0810.jpg?w=480&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162815&s=814e724efb469a143c4e13aa208c15fd 480w)
That’s a huge transition to move from Texas to Oregon. Motion stirs sediment. What things have been coming up in this move for you?
Yes! You have to stir up the sediment to see if there are any little flakes that might be valuable down there! I think you always leave something behind when you leave a space. It’s never the problems that you’ve left, but something in how you see them…so they’re the same problems but they look different, like I’ve at least learned something new about them. So, I always find moving toward unfamiliar things rewarding. Or, maybe I just need to move a lot because I grew up an Army brat.
I would say it has been both refreshing and scary. The forests and capes of the Oregon coast are pretty majestic and serene. Then again, I’ve done a ton of research on tsunamis and bears (a big brown bear periodically gets into our trash if we’ve left it out).
I feel like I’m moving a little slower, taking things in. The adjustment to thyroid medication has been a little topsy-turvy – I have a new body in many ways which has been both refreshing and scary. It has not been an easy transition, but it has forced me to really let go and accept the unknown and learn how to trust my body again- all big lessons. The house project has also forced us to really measure progress in baby steps. There isn’t much building happening in the wet winters, and it took us a while to find good electricians and plumbers, so we’ve been designing and changing the house and the studio in our heads…I think we’re on version 2,367.
![Campsite ikebana.](https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0805.jpg?w=2400&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162796&s=aa20b4c3d38d6e53466a9febbb6f613a 2400w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0805.jpg?w=2160&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162796&s=44641e31654a36f9e3d76e978afd4fae 2160w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0805.jpg?w=1920&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162796&s=c297686795a0643f83b4a2d6733c3eb0 1920w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0805.jpg?w=1680&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162796&s=4db060f80b5aa4666a6c1dd57d3d5bfd 1680w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0805.jpg?w=1440&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162796&s=1916c3dc6bb21cda8a5f09ed627faa03 1440w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0805.jpg?w=1200&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162796&s=608acf5a4cd4deb156c86df0c1e60a5b 1200w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0805.jpg?w=1080&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162796&s=7fed26f3ffc42b305eb1253c4bbfa9d8 1080w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0805.jpg?w=960&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162796&s=cbe68ce9b22100fd3561c7d258283678 960w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0805.jpg?w=720&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162796&s=a7d639d9999cd9a473cd49b9587a1302 720w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0805.jpg?w=640&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162796&s=abdcd64c885edef793ceece3b56ebb89 640w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0805.jpg?w=480&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162796&s=ac91b49f84b4a381490c642f36bff938 480w)
![Updated Campsite ikebana.](https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0808.jpg?w=2400&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162802&s=bd7ab148deaa3fa6a780d96e03e515c0 2400w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0808.jpg?w=2160&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162802&s=87e088c3ac08bb322ca1fb71601824ae 2160w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0808.jpg?w=1920&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162802&s=c5851f6129b05bc6c72a8f94b9672f27 1920w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0808.jpg?w=1680&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162802&s=6c2a03009e996a5575fd13770da1d18a 1680w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0808.jpg?w=1440&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162802&s=e3fec91200c5941180fc6a683be67177 1440w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0808.jpg?w=1200&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162802&s=d66f1e5e8ada47ebbabea3b0eb05fb50 1200w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0808.jpg?w=1080&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162802&s=4fc4dacad73c269891653c4847c7f088 1080w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0808.jpg?w=960&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162802&s=6f846de07d720b5a8b3b8722801e8e9c 960w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0808.jpg?w=720&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162802&s=a2b1f4f48437115fb230fb6d1488ff31 720w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0808.jpg?w=640&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162802&s=e9208342e29421a93c934f6656076c7a 640w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0808.jpg?w=480&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162802&s=7cc12d633a9a6b5b0e598b47d0abce7d 480w)
Campsite ikebanas. 1984 (left) to present (right)
Who is someone that has been shaping you lately?
We rescued a pup 6 months after moving here and while he is super fun and cute, he is quite salty. His name is Soot. We think he might have been abused because he has some strict boundaries, which has taught me a lot about love, trust, respect and patience. I could never just pick him up and squeeze him like I wanted for the first year, but now, if I let him come to me, he’ll nuzzle up and lick my hand. He hasn’t exactly been the carefree, cuddly fluffpuff I was hoping for, but Lil Soot has been a good teacher. I think he is exactly what I needed.
I found a series you shared recently; images of drawings and small altars erected on the beach. “Recent conversations about grief with the ocean.” I was so moved by these shots. Can you share with me some lessons you have learned about grief?
Oh, thank you. I’m so glad that they resonated with you. I love getting lost in thought playing in the sand...it is a very childlike feeling. They are constant conversations and meditations that I have been having and that I document sometimes with my camera. I’m not sure I can put anything into words yet, which is why I guess I’m making them. Grief is, strangely, both so personal and universal at the same time. We don’t move on from it, we just move forward.
I am currently working on a series titled “tools for grief” – objects in clay and glass meant to inspire a kind of playful interaction with nature. I don’t know why, but they have helped me come to terms with grief a little. I think the act of nurturing grief and being gentle and attentive to it is important. It’s also important to just sit with someone who is grieving and not try and fix them or look on the bright side of things with them. Just be there and listen and help where you can. We all grieve, but we all grieve differently.
![A shell resting in a hole dug out in the sand.](https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0813.jpg?w=2400&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162768&s=ffa9abf2a1efa35e5159fc25c5c1d0b9 2400w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0813.jpg?w=2160&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162768&s=4d9652e1538ef4fe21ca08da7a3972c3 2160w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0813.jpg?w=1920&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162768&s=1fc63213a488021559b68c36e1f19b55 1920w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0813.jpg?w=1680&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162768&s=1740e6dca3984391138f88a5ae8a7aee 1680w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0813.jpg?w=1440&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162768&s=bb32fb970ea4e12fec114a9a90af0508 1440w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0813.jpg?w=1200&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162768&s=652f4bc8ddb7a197b1651419a1463afe 1200w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0813.jpg?w=1080&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162768&s=a23897f7da950b39faa6a70aa0c19f6a 1080w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0813.jpg?w=960&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162768&s=70aa8c1d06b370247405bcbf9f0760c2 960w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0813.jpg?w=720&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162768&s=a32dd0f8f881f7122984490cd9579174 720w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0813.jpg?w=640&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162768&s=98910cbfc2049c31474c2fd3630f18fa 640w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0813.jpg?w=480&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162768&s=8cefed66cb9361ccb1640de7dfa99181 480w)
![Erected shells stuck in the sand to create an altar.](https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0814.jpg?w=2400&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162784&s=e417090b70af2e54cd6627020f6f021f 2400w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0814.jpg?w=2160&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162784&s=2f6fb0804cb77fc196467e28ca3df7d2 2160w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0814.jpg?w=1920&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162784&s=f628ce7aa9cd884a385d825c9acf133b 1920w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0814.jpg?w=1680&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162784&s=2e32ac605fbc55f2f1334b2f6a75d447 1680w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0814.jpg?w=1440&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162784&s=67efd1f7de38b8770add571f2331dc87 1440w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0814.jpg?w=1200&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162784&s=980607487cba3515b0f39d9d2e300ef7 1200w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0814.jpg?w=1080&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162784&s=f8354774be5a84667ae04dfc6f006bea 1080w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0814.jpg?w=960&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162784&s=69edd0554fa2d5113dc672d360526a05 960w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0814.jpg?w=720&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162784&s=2d22868ba76a9910629b174dc19cb94a 720w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0814.jpg?w=640&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162784&s=784912bad17e51aa5cd4751a4a964017 640w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0814.jpg?w=480&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162784&s=54b9429b9522fcd89c977bb479ffa38f 480w)
Recent conversations about grief with the ocean.
If you could only see one color for the rest of your life, but in many shades, which color would you pick?
Goodness….hard question. The first thing that popped into my head, so I am going with it, is a glowing peach to barely nude color. That color you see a strip of in a sunset. I am always trying to match that color in work but it’s impossible!
You work often with your partner (as you have said, your better half). What is one of the nearest and dearest things you’ve created together?
Our marriage. Not to sound too sappy, but it’s the thing I am proudest of. Going on 23 years together. Crazy sauce! I think about how young we were and all the life we’ve experienced together. Relationships are artistic endeavors I think…you have to really pay attention and keep changing together and maintain a huge amount of curiosity, it is such a worthwhile process for me.
![An image of a piece of art that Alyson and her husband made together. Someone holds up the huge print, which has sweet drawings all across the canvas.](https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0812.jpg?w=2400&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162712&s=25b44d355d49e49368e3cc3812b7e18b 2400w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0812.jpg?w=2160&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162712&s=2c664d77cbf61fbe893a12279b7cedea 2160w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0812.jpg?w=1920&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162712&s=9ea246bfdbcc7bad5fc5345448125f29 1920w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0812.jpg?w=1680&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162712&s=05bda3368b125f17387d527b6b1e63ea 1680w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0812.jpg?w=1440&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162712&s=e6f66ef3cf3dd0a50ae7cfd9c9553569 1440w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0812.jpg?w=1200&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162712&s=bb95c7cf33ce4c48e8fce874840d7ed6 1200w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0812.jpg?w=1080&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162712&s=80480a59eb642dbf1e4b6bb35c317060 1080w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0812.jpg?w=960&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162712&s=1a32278888d21e02e2fda8ad24b2f02c 960w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0812.jpg?w=720&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162712&s=46b738265a1a699c09bae06308c35e5d 720w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0812.jpg?w=640&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162712&s=e79c310340c6109cf448aa2f6b094309 640w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0812.jpg?w=480&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162712&s=bfa73c2b7371067f3f66cef9f98cf9ba 480w)
I am struck by how honest curiosity and the desire to learn seems to shape your work regardless of the medium. Are you gentle with yourself when you learn new things?
Sweet question. For the most part I’m pretty gentle with myself. I am very comfortable being bad at something and admitting that I don’t know, which I think is one of my best traits. I do lose patience when I am on the computer sometimes.
![A portrait of an ikebana piece made by Alyson.](https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=2400&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=892cee4d662113c0481579c20f2b097d 2400w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=2160&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=db893321b71a5ae9c28167c9273e424f 2160w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=1920&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=b88e3f04eed3437e2619dc986194894c 1920w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=1680&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=70e2fd3aebb7b6cecff56a9b1a773aaf 1680w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=1440&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=5edff9cb98fcafaa4788547006835603 1440w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=1200&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=3f76815664aa607ece957e2c4c6786d3 1200w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=1080&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=2cfe997b0ae989343a11562256d1b775 1080w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=960&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=bbacd65ec1475a48a234c4490be4c02f 960w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=720&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=420181748aabbd0533d594013345038f 720w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=640&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=b8fe83915b60599dade2345933edbbd1 640w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0815.jpg?w=480&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162744&s=a8a96bd21bd8b32b4c97fb0cfe25100d 480w)
![An image of Alyson in a white jumpsuit at Georgia O'Keefe's house in New Mexico.](https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0806.jpg?w=2400&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162732&s=d72a9e4740aeeca822986228af762310 2400w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0806.jpg?w=2160&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162732&s=a62740f29882d65f6266c8efeb596e6f 2160w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0806.jpg?w=1920&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162732&s=55240ab98dd185da32ff32aabe1e1b13 1920w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0806.jpg?w=1680&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162732&s=1d94bb86b59111d7855706b648ab54d1 1680w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0806.jpg?w=1440&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162732&s=744c6825ece539a7f5cc66446e05bf3e 1440w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0806.jpg?w=1200&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162732&s=bfdf763ccafb17d09f9f4c6da8179c6a 1200w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0806.jpg?w=1080&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162732&s=77309e237872e59d2752a10ead7f65bc 1080w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0806.jpg?w=960&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162732&s=0f6a305434271d59783c5021f669624f 960w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0806.jpg?w=720&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162732&s=7ee5f4662b8dc07c9ce40399a865425a 720w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0806.jpg?w=640&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162732&s=8b46dad0f74e7f8c3a115044dd9e8d73 640w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0806.jpg?w=480&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162732&s=57ece8a25ee9c06d8b473fac567f97ad 480w)
I see where you recently were distilling pine cones for a small batch of perfume–did you find it to be a success? If you could bottle up any scent perfectly, what would it be?
I did find it to be a success! It was such a fun process- collecting nature and making scents with it. We didn’t sell a million of them…unfortunately once the making part is over, my enthusiasm for the selling part dwindles. They do smell amazing! One of my favorite smells is the top of my first dog, Stache’s, head. I would nuzzle up in him, give him loads of kisses and just inhale. He always smelled like a good memory. Even now, it is such a calming thought. I have a lock of his hair in a small box by our bed. It’s faded but I can still put it to my nose and smell him, but would love to have a little vial of his scent.
What is the most treasured item in your closet, accessory or clothing?
Gosh, this is turning into being a love letter to Stache- it’s a necklace with his baby teeth. We found two of his baby teeth in our sheets when he was a puppy and I held on to them with the intention to make a necklace. They were not going to be mourning jewelry, but he died before I got to make them. One tooth is cast in gold and the other is the actual tooth- little love charms. They are such lovely shapes, and they hang right over the faint scar on my neck, so I feel really close to him.
![Image of Stache, a gray pup, lounging on the bed. His owner, Alyson, stands in front of him wearing a shirt that says "Stache is the Best Dog."](https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0809.jpg?w=2400&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162671&s=3b76b54fc72b55ed01f3526b61b7f33a 2400w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0809.jpg?w=2160&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162671&s=cb2c6a44a8a153c81582b3d2dee36235 2160w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0809.jpg?w=1920&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162671&s=cfd1713ec7d45879742ee7a3593ec6d7 1920w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0809.jpg?w=1680&q=60&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162671&s=32f673f5ef765da4a2c24ada50d5e95b 1680w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0809.jpg?w=1440&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162671&s=4d4c1ce0d14eaffde82f0efc6330ec41 1440w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0809.jpg?w=1200&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162671&s=e64935a6e3caece40e39415284400b9d 1200w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0809.jpg?w=1080&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162671&s=44aea912e822456be486e922f827b4ff 1080w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0809.jpg?w=960&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162671&s=44fd1d6e576869296d6d8a0cf10821b4 960w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0809.jpg?w=720&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162671&s=bb2fb81bad4fb4fdb1f95610fa38ed40 720w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0809.jpg?w=640&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162671&s=878e6798b8ddd197e594530c84e735c4 640w, https://transforms.noihsafbazaar.com/production/uploads/IMG-0809.jpg?w=480&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1698162671&s=b5c2d4228f9d6c1c2945886654470cb3 480w)
Tell us more about Brrr!, your new knitwear line! Why were you drawn to doing something like this, and how has the process been of building it out?
Ten years ago, I designed a few sweaters but couldn’t find the right production. I’ve always loved sweaters and had over a dozen vintage ones in my closet… in Texas… which means I wore them for about 3 weeks. I love how cozy and comforted they make you feel, and I always love combining textiles with drawing techniques. Now that I live in a place where I wear a sweater year-round (which is amazing), I started to pick up the idea again.
About a year ago, my friend Jyl, who lives in Peru and owns the beautiful Greenhouse Peru, sent me a text that said, “I found you knit production.” – a little loving nudge that threw it into motion. Then my husband got excited which always gives me good momentum. Subsequently, my friend Blair and I were talking names and she came up with Brrr in like 5 seconds. So, the stars have been aligned.
I am starting out with three sweaters and some leg warmers. They are very textured and meant to be worn forwards, backwards and inside out. My friend Ann, who gives me the best advice, told me that I will probably be the only one who will wear them inside out, but that she was glad I was happy about it. I think showing the process is so interesting…making the innerworkings, the seams, the frays all beautiful. I hope others join me in wearing them inside out.
They are being knitted by hand and will be made in small batches in Peru. I have two more collections designed along with accessories and things, so I’m starting small but have a lot of ideas I hope to get out. So I need to embrace the selling part : )
What is one of the best pieces of advice that you have carried with you?
“Don’t give so many fucks.” Imagine this coming from a Jewish grandma from the Bronx (my amazing Tanny). So, with much love.
This one is more for me, as I am genuinely interested…What did you think of the Barbie movie?
I’ll start by professing, I have a huge girl crush on Gretta Gerwig – so excited for her success as well as Margot Robbie and all involved.
To be honest, I am still processing it I think, which isn’t a normal thing I do, process movies…so, that is interesting. I didn’t love it when I walked out, but it’s growing on me more and more each day which has been a nice surprise. It was a lot of fun, and artistically great and I’ve had so many interesting conversations with my friends about it, so that’s quite an accomplishment! It covers a lot of ground and says all the right things- I guess I just wanted to be more surprised by something.
Thinking about her choosing to come to a place where she would not always be happy or equal and she signed up for it anyway made me think even more about how strong and empathetic and curious and complex women are. My friend Amanda said something along the lines that after Barbie’s experience in the real world, a deeply uncomfortable place, it makes returning to Barbie Land impossible. She can’t unsee the beauty of a wrinkled face, tears or cellulite. We like to think of her protesting and maybe working at Planned Parenthood in the sequel.
I loved the ending. I imagine I will have a new answer for you in a few weeks- so let’s check back. I am enjoying the conversations.