Published on November 07, 2022

Allison Elia

"The conceptual narrative within each of my sculptures explores the coexistence of guilt/weight and hope/buoyancy within a person, often utilizing dance and underwater photography as references for the dynamic poise and gesture displayed in each piece. My sculptures are often constructed and fired upside down or at an angle that temporarily complies with gravity because I’ve experienced enough unforeseen circumstances in my life to recognize the value of changing my perspective and moving onward even when it seems like the ground fell out from underneath me. I’ve moved through ten different apartments and studios in the last six years, and I surprisingly managed to find the best possible home & studio during the first summer of the pandemic, though it also felt like only the eye of the storm. My artwork often reflects the ability to learn from the past and find new routes to progress even after it seems that one’s firm foundations have shifted. These pieces aim to capture “sculptural snapshots” that reveal the transient internal experiences that are deeply embedded in the memory of an individual, without the limits of bodily endurance or the longevity of external blemishes and scars."

Tumbler, earthenware | Awaken, stoneware and acrylic paint | Pour, earthenware, underglaze and glaze

Divulge, earthenware, acrylic paint and wood stain | Overcome, earthenware, acrylic and spray paint | Resonate, earthenware and acrylic paint |Grace, earthenware and acrylic paint | Resolve, stoneware and high fire glaze

Resonate, earthenware and acrylic paint

Weathering, earthenware, mixed acrylic media

Allison Elia is a ceramic sculptor and painter currently residing in Warren, Rhode Island. She has exhibited her artwork across the states and internationally in both galleries and museums since 2009, after graduating from the University of Akron, OH with a double major in painting/drawing and ceramics, summa cum laude. She received her MFA in ceramics from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth in 2013 and continues to create life-size ceramic sculptures in her home studio. After completing a two-year artist residency at the Art Center West in Roswell, GA in 2016, Elia became an adjunct professor in the 3D department at Eastern.