Check Out Alison Corteen’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alison Corteen.

Hi Alison, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have always loved art. Growing up in Edinburgh, Scotland, my mother frequently took me to the many art galleries there which consolidated my love and appreciation of modern art as well as the classics. I have lived in several countries and traveled extensively, but it wasn’t until I moved to Redondo Beach that I got serious about painting and selling my art. I enrolled in art classes at the South Bay Art Department with Terri Burris, who inspired me to grow and develop my art knowledge and technique. Creating abstract art can be very challenging and Terri has provided support and many techniques to bring out the best in my paintings. My artistic style has developed into an interesting dichotomy between expressive abstracts and controlled and geometric landscapes with an emphasis on bright and bold colors and lines. I am greatly influenced by my surroundings and I often draw inspiration from the South Bay landscapes and the desert and mountains of Southern California. I love the wildness of the ocean or desert but I crave control and order, too. I believe this is where my contrasting styles of art come from. I have evolved into an internally-sold artist with collectors as far as Hong Kong, France, and Germany. I am constantly looking for new challenges and I enjoy exhibiting my artwork in local galleries such as Shockboxx in Hermosa. I have recently embarked on a collaboration with the LA-based designer Vismaya. They have taken several of my paintings and transformed the images into stunning scarves and bags. My neon lifeguard tower is one of my signature pieces and the corresponding scarves have a cult following as far as Hong Kong. I continue to learn and develop my artwork and style and I am looking forward to my next art venture.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Being an artist is not an easy path to follow. There are many challenges, not least trying to get your art on display and in front of prospective collectors. I think one of the biggest challenges faced by myself (and many artists) is self-doubt. I love to paint and I work hard to produce beautiful paintings that I like, but when I finish I wonder if anyone else will like them! My husband and daughter often like to give their (sometimes harsh) opinions but are both very supportive of my artwork.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I mainly create with acrylic paint on canvas, often mixed with collage. I have an eclectic taste in art but I am drawn to abstracts and landscapes and my artworks are mainly bold colors and lines. I am slightly obsessed with color and I love to play with unusual colors on well-known objects. My oddly colored lifeguard towers and backgrounds have proven to be one of my more popular series of work. I try to paint or draw every day and I believe it has resulted in constant improvement in my knowledge and techniques in painting and collage. I was very pleased to be chosen to sell my artwork on Singulart, a carefully curated online art gallery. I have also appeared in several local exhibitions including 2021? at Shockboxx where I sold a painting of the 110/405 interchange.

How do you think about luck?
I believe you make your own luck. I think it is important to constantly challenge yourself and look for new opportunities to be successful. If your artworks just sit in your house then no one will ever see it, so marketing and hustle is always an important factor in being a successful artist.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.alisoncorteen.com
• Instagram: alisoncorteen
• Facebook: alisoncorteen
• Other: www.singulart.com/en/artist/alison-corteen-8557

Image Credits:
Nomad Kid Studio Alison Corteen