Alison Blickle
By Megan Martin

Hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area, Alison Blickle is bringing a new spin to the art world. Her caricaturistic style of painting represents women in various natural surroundings. Her inspirations represent the juxtaposition of mystical and holistic spiritualism and the skepticism of those beliefs.

“My family is full of eccentrics. A chat on the phone may involve topics like shamanism, animal guides, wicca, tree-sitting, contacting spirits, divination, hypnotherapy, or colloidal silver,” Alison writes in an artist statement, “People often turn to these types of pursuits for a sense of belonging and meaning that is lacking in our culture. While part of me can’t help but judge these practices as wishful thinking, part of me is envious of my family’s open mindedness. My work is driven by the conflict between my attraction to mysticism, and my reflexive rejection of it.”

Although Blickle currently lives in Brooklyn, she often fantasizes about living in the woods away from metropolitan civilization. But her heart still lies in the city.

“When I find myself in a forest or on a secluded or on a secluded beach, I don’t have the profound sense of belonging that I expect. Instead I feel like a spectator in a beautiful, mysterious world that is not mine… An aspect of my work explores the awkwardness of an allegiance to the artificial and the natural.”

For more information and a full collection of her works, visit alisonblickle.net.

1.  The Forest Knows Where You Are, 45" x 65", oil on canvas, 2008

2.  Plant Talker, 36" x 48", oil on canvas, 2008

3.  The Climber, 36" x 48", oil on canvas, 2008

4.  The Herbalist, 60" x 80", oil on canvas, 2008

5.  Treesitter, 48" x 65", oil on canvas, 2008

6.  Rainforest Fantasy, 60" x 72", oil on canvas, 2008