The word Honesty has been a theme in the artwork that has been produced during my time at the University of Washington. My current paintings highlight the moments of joy that are easily forgotten during these long months of the pandemic’s lockdown. These paintings are an intimate view of personal memories of joy during the dark and often soul-crushing loneliness that accompanies the pandemic. For this body of work, I chose to work with oil, which allows me to develop a rich palette that can be manipulated into expressive movement. I use photos that were taken this past year that contain memories I wish to hold onto. Choosing to paint from the photo loosely, I often paint my smaller paintings in one sitting to reflect the fleeting tendency of memories, which helps to solidify a moment in time in my mind.

My work is an encouraging reminder that we are not alone in these experiences and there is always hope for better times. This is accomplished not only through the subject but also through depictions of color, movement and brushstrokes that harken to a desired inhibition.

Alissa was born and raised in the forest of Monroe, WA, and now resides in Seattle, WA. She was homeschooled, which gave her much time to explore her interests in the arts through dancing, drawing and music. The joy, movement, and colors of nature all show themselves in her art practice. She attended Bellevue college then took an eight-year hiatus to work and travel. Throughout her life she has traveled to eight different countries which have caused her to grow in empathy towards others and gather inspiration that have thus informed her work.

She then attended the University of Washington and concentrated in Painting and Drawing. Because of her wide range of interests, she considers herself an interdisciplinary artist with a current emphasis on oil painting, music production/performance, and mixed-media digital art. Her interest lies in depicting the moments of joy found in the simple, overlooked moments, often utilizing photos, intuitive painting and the human figure.