Meet Allison Jones Hunt | Abstract Artist & Creativity Mentor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Allison Jones Hunt and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Allison, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
Live life in pursuit of pleasure, not perfection. As a recovering perfectionist, I made the switch a few years back to follow the path of my pleasure, not the part of my brain that demands better performance, more money, or keeping up with anyone else’s expectations. When I live life in pursuit of my pleasure, I feel connected to my body, my creativity, and my dreams—which leads me directly to the life I want to live.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a full-time artist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I paint emotive and colorful abstract paintings in a sun-filled home studio with a view of the Sandia Mountains. My creative process harnesses mindfulness, intuition, and somatic expression—read: frequent dance parties—to channel my emotions and the energy of the world around me. I’m a firm believer that all emotions are creative emotions, and that good art can come from both our soaring heights and shadowy depths. My paintings serve as visual reminders to feel all our feelings—and use them to create both the lives we want to live and the world in which we want to live them.

I swam upstream to live my dream life, and have dedicated my time and energy to helping others do the same. I was born with several disabilities that resulted in multiple hip surgeries and mobility issues from birth. Living with chronic pain and physical limitations set my mind free to explore—because I couldn’t go out to play with kids in my neighborhood or join a sport, I dove into books, writing, music, and art. That path lead me to where I am today, an artist passionate about empowering folks of all abilities and intersectional identities to lean into our unique gifts and share our perspectives via authentic and deeply personal creative expression.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I grew up near Los Angeles, so it’s still one of my favorite places to visit. Now that I’m landlocked, I admit my itineraries these days will forever and always begin and end at the beach. (Heads up: I’ve got Celiac Disease so my food picks will be largely gluten free!)

Let’s start in Venice. We’d spend the morning paddle boarding at Mothers Beach in Marina Del Rey harbor, then grab coffee at Menotti’s Coffee Stop. Brunch would be smoothies and GF gingersnap waffles at the Butcher’s Daughter, followed by a tour of murals and public art in the area and a stroll through the Venice Canal Historic District. Lunch is fish tacos at Great White, and a few hours lounging at the beach leads us to dinner at 401k Food and Wine for gluten-free rockfish & chips. No trip to LA would be complete without a double scoop at Salt & Straw Ice Cream—Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons and Honey Lavender, to be precise—so dessert at Abbott Kinney’s S&S would end the day.

Day two is an art-focused day, with breakfast at Farmshop followed by a leisurely trip to the Getty in the morning. Lunch is a treat: we don’t have a single Ethiopian restaurant in Albuquerque (I KNOW!) so we’ll enjoy all the injera and Yatakilt Alicha we can eat at Messob on Fairfax. After lunch we’ll pop over to LACMA and Craft Contemporary before heading to Downtown’s Arts District to check out Poketo, Spring Arts Collective inside the Last Bookstore, a few other local galleries, and (if the timing is right) a life drawing session at Art Share L.A.. Dinner is Badmaash, where we’ll get Punjabi Fish-Fry (machhi amritsari), masala fries, and oat milk chai.

Day three is Santa Monica, and it’ll have to be a Wednesday so so can go to the farmers market along Arizona Avenue and browse the produce with the area’s best chefs. After working up an appetite (and snacking on some fresh fruit) breakfast is Breadlok—ideally a smoked salmon tartine on their amazing gluten-free caraway bread—followed by a walk through Palisades Park and tarot readings at Mystic Journey Bookstore. Lunch is chef’s choice crudo trio and salad at Crudo e Nudo, followed by an indulgent spa day at Tikkun Holistic Spa. Dinner is a two parter: hot and cold appetizers at Birdie G’s followed by mains and plenty of wine at farm-to-table fave Little Prince—their natural wine selection is dreamy. The night ends at the beach (of course) listening to the waves and thanking our lucky stars that this place exists.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Karl Benjamin, my grandfather. As a renowned abstract painter and educator, he taught me and multiple generations of artists how to combine personal integrity with an unwavering dedication to our craft. One of my favorite lessons comes from his early days as an elementary school teacher getting squirrelly kids to settle down for the required hour of art: “Fill the page with color and don’t mess around.” It’s still great advice whether you’re 6 or 60, and I try to follow it every time I enter my studio.

Website: https://allisonjoneshunt.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisonjoneshunt/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonjoneshunt/

Image Credits
Emma Melin