Interview
Alyson Whitney
Alyson Whitney is an American artist. Her work is dedicated to her cat that was struck and killed by a car one afternoon. He lost his life on April 11, 2004. Alyson was devastated - her heart shattered into a thousand pieces. Cremated, her cat was returned to her in a small black urn. The fragments of her heart that she had just begun to pick up and mend had broken again. For those that knew her cat, he was anything but dark and dull. He was full of life and a crazy cat.
Desperate to put an end to the hurt, and in tears, Alyson painted his urn. By the time she finished, she found closure and a smile returned to her face. She describes it as being a strange feeling of contentment in what she had created for both him and herself.
Alyson’s heart began to heal, and it was at that moment she knew she could help others ease the pain of grief and loss, through meaningful closure using her art. She is lucky enough to be able to pursue her quest to combine her passions: art and animals - and unknowingly, a third passion - returning smiles to peoples’ faces.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I’ve been an artist all my life. My journey in the art world started when I was a toddler, I’d push away coloring books and ask for blank paper and markers. As my journey continued, I’ve painted murals, pottery, paintings, furniture, ceramics - anything I could design and paint. My favorite medium became ceramics. And that’s where my journey is today.”
What inspires you?
“Crazy dog and cat lovers with awesome pet stories. Living with a lot of pets. Bright colors. Bold Patterns. To make someone smile again. Traveling the world. Italian piazzas. Architecture. Walking through Nature.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I pursue ceramics as Pet Urns. I realized from losing a pet early on in my career that I could help others ease the pain of grief & loss and find meaningful closure through my art. Ultimately, putting a smile back on someone’s face.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Frida Kahlo, Picasso, Michelangelo, Keith Haring, Romero Britto and Yayoi Kusama are all artists who have influenced me.”
What is your creative process like?
“My creative process can be intense; I start by listening to my clients' relationship with their pet. Most times, they are sad and it's hard for them to talk about them. I listen to their stories, favorite pastimes, favorite toys –I listen to anything and everything they want to tell me. They send me photos and we talk about those too.
We then discuss the shape of the urn, colors and where the placement will be in their house. Once I’ve gathered a sufficient amount of information, I start translating my notes into pictures, study pet photos and sketch ideas, pulling the ideas together. My sketches become a color rendering that is sent to my client for approval. Once approved, the rendering is drawn on the final piece. The final piece is painted, fired then glaze fired and shipped.”
“My work is bright and bold. Happy and celebratory. One of a kind and functional.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“I think an artist's role in society is to speak the truth, maybe in a way that no one has felt, or seen before. It’s to move emotions, lift spirits and to even be influential. I see our role evolving even more in social media and other platforms that allow our work to be seen by many.”
Please tell us about any previous exhibitions you found noteworthy and wish to share.
“There’s never been an exhibit I’ve been in that hasn’t been noteworthy. From your location, to how you set up to potential customers feedback, customers feedback, people who dislike your work, what’s been bought, what hasn’t been bought, to how long it takes you to break down an exhibit. It's all worth noting – that's how you grow.
That being said, this past June was a noteworthy time for me. I was featured in Artist Talk Magazine, which led to an exciting digital exhibition in Times Square NYC on June 23, 2022. I wanted to tell every stranger I saw that the artwork up on the digital screen was mine — I wanted to scream it at the top of my lungs! It was a once-in-a-lifetime dream come true; it brought tears of joy to my eyes. The experience was exciting, emotional, and unreal all at once: that was my talent up there. Who gets to say that?”
