Alison Price

A dear friend introduced me to Cold Water Spring in 2006. Located on the northeast corner of Highways 62 and 55, the site was not easy to find, markers had long since been vandalized or destroyed. One… needed to squeeze between leaning fences, walk past abandoned, decaying Bureau of Mines buildings in order to reach the spring. The spring has had human connections for over 9000 years. Always at 47 degrees Fahrenheit, the limestone filtered water has provided safe, abundant water for animals and humans during even the harshest of summers and winters. Flowing at 144,000 gallons per day the spring is the largest freshwater spring in the Twin Cities. When I first saw the spring, I was overwhelmed by a sense of quietness and peace. A graceful majestic willow swayed over the a pond, the natural reservoir of the spring. Gifts and offerings were tied to the smaller trees, signs of prayer and meditation were plentiful. In my mind, I called this willow the guardian, and mused about painting this glorious tree.  Making numerous sketches, the place became part of me. Guardian of Cold Water Spring (center) was painted in the spring of 2011.  Shortly after completing the work, word came that the National Park Service had decided to cut it down.  Citing cracks and decay, the willow was viewed as a hazard. The land ownership was contested, and the use of the land questioned.  Willow Weeps (left), is my response to that news. The willow, knowing its life circle is soon to be complete, is now painted in dark reds and purple, stoic with the decision.   The much loved willow was cut down in August of 2011. The Friends of ColdWater Spring harvested the willow sprouts, and shared the growth with all. The tree and its wisdom live on. The deep blue ghost tree, and the parallel lines of time are depicted in Wisdom Shared. This trio of paintings was selected by Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison for his Minneapolis offices during the Spring of 2012.  Alison Price has a BA in Studio Arts from Augsburg College, Minneapolis, and a MA from the University of Wisconsin.  Her award winning work is internationally and nationally collected, including a collection purchased by the FBI for their new headquarters.  Ballet Royale and Twin Cities Ballet have choreographed four ballets inspired by Alison Price’s art.  MORE

Reading about the elusive Higgs Boson particle, I attempted to wrap my head around such a concept.  Painting swoops of seemingly rapid movement, converging lines and angles, I wrestled with the i…llustration of such an energetic excitation.  It was one of those instances, as if waking from an extremely wild and gorgeous dream, one attempts to grasp the fleeting tail of the dream,  only to be left with a wistful recollection of something one is certain was beyond the incredible.  It was with this feeling that the painting stopped fascinating me and began to become extremely frustrating. I had a long talk with it.  Told it that though I was really thrilled with how far along it had come, that at this point, it was a disappointment.  Contemplating painting it over, the painting must have pled for one last chance.  I reluctantly agreed. Painting the “ribbon” of  deep turquoise from top to bottom, the work at last was at peace.  And in the most beautiful coincidences, while painting that long undulating ribbon in March of 2013, the Higgs Boson particle was identified at CERN.   My latest painting in this science inspired series is about the journey of Voyager, and its passing into through and past the heliosphere.   Alison Price graduated from Augsburg College with a Studio Arts degree and holds a MA from the University of Wisconsin.  Internationally and nationally collected, her work is held in private and public collections, including a series purchased by the FBI.  Ballet Royale Twin Cities Ballet have created four ballets using Alison Price’s paintings as inspiration.  Mitochondrial was one of the works honored by the dancers and choreographers.   MORE