Meet Allison Moyers of Downtown Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Moyers.

Hi Allison, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am originally from Texas but I moved to Phoenix after my university studies abroad. From an early age I was interested in the arts and I have been drawing since I could hold a pencil. I took some art classes in high school and continued into university.

In 2010, I moved to Paris, France and continued my artistic journey there. I went to a Preparatory school for a year in Paris before entering The Superior School of Art and Design of Valenciennes, France. I graduated with honors in 2015 and returned to the states with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts. I work in many different mediums but my passion is large format oil painting. My husband and I moved to Phoenix for the sunshine and the vibes! I have been working as an artist in Phoenix for six years now.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road that I chose was definitely not a smooth one but one of tremendous growth that formed who I am as an artist today. When I first moved to Paris I didn’t know the language and the culture shock was an obstacle in itself. I had determined to study art in France and finish my degree but in the beginning, it seemed impossible. Studying in a foreign country and learning a foreign language was a challenging but it pushed me to get out of my comfort zone learn what art truly means to me.

After a year working as an au pair to learn the language, I was accepted into a prep school for the arts and the real work began. There were many times that I was humiliated and ridiculed for my accent or my ignorance of the culture but I was determined not to give up. It is in those types of situations that you find your support system and I eventually found a group of friends that had my back. After a year of hard work, many rejections, and failed interviews I was finally accepted into an art school in Valenciennes France.

I continued to improve in the French language and my art and eventually found my voice. I graduated with honors in 2015, something I didn’t think possible and since then I have never looked back. The difficulty of my beginnings have made moving forward much easier so I am forever grateful for those struggles. I am now an artist working in Phoenix and I am happy that I never gave up my passion!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am greatly inspired by classic literature, poetry and film. My work is overtly feminine and romantic in nature and I explore themes of vanity, vice and excess within western society. The stylized and romanticized are indispensable elements in my work and correspond to the methodic use of color that express human emotion through their psychological representations. Our society has a way of idealizing the past through story-telling and mythology, and it is the western ideal that captivates and inspires my art. The cinematic and narrative image created by Hollywood is what our culture is responding to today and my paintings reveal the beautifully broken version of that vision. I choose to focus on woman and the feminine because I am a woman and it is with that voice that I paint.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Ever since I can remember, I had a creative spirit and I was always using my imagination make something. I was obsessed with dolls and barbies and when it became uncool to play with them I was truly devastated. Although a true artist never loses the childlike desire to play and I found that dream again through the arts. My personality was always somewhat introverted and brooding. I loved to escape in a book and I seemed absent-minded with my head in the clouds. I always wanted to do something artistic like writing or acting but I found my strength in drawing and that led me to become an artist and a painter.

Pricing:

• Small pieces: $50-100
• Medium pieces: $100-1000
• Large pieces: $1000-11,000

Contact Info:

• Email: allisonmoyers@yahoo.com
• Website: https://www.allisonmoyersart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepoetthatpaints/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYWeoiZ0YBTqLRBj6R0AECg
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepoetthatpaints?