Artist Talk with Alison Hixon

Alison Hixon is a Santa Fe-based artist who creates large-scale watercolor mixed-media paintings. After earning a BFA from Stephens College in Columbia, MO, she spent her time in Chicago as an actor working in theatre and film. Her visual work serves as a personal commentary on her life’s journey, exploring themes of self-identity and the emotional complexities of being a woman in the world. Each piece is a reflection of her experiences, capturing the nuanced interplay of color and emotion that defines her work. In August 2023, Vogue recognized Alison as an artist not to miss on Canyon Road.

Artist’s Statement:
In my work, I balance between the known and the unknown, capturing the fluidity of human emotion as it twists through both body and space. The figures in my paintings emerge distorted, their forms stretched and contorted as they navigate surreal landscapes. These dreamlike settings evoke a sense of disorientation, a visual manifestation of the emotional turmoil and our subconscious dark matter.

Each piece is an exploration of how our inner lives shape and are shaped by the spaces we occupy. The eyes, often focal points in my work, are windows to the soul, distorted yet revealing, capturing the complexity of emotion in a single glance.

Through my art, I invite viewers to step into this liminal space, to confront the discomfort of the unfamiliar, and to find meaning in the fluidity of existence. My hope is to inspire a deeper connection to our own emotional landscapes, to embrace the discomfort that comes with growth, and to trust the journey within.