Alison Berkey

Queen Latha

Papier-mâché, acrylic paint, wire, yarn

“As we are entering into this age of masks, a time full of confusion and fear, I am compelled to explore the power of creating masks as a means of expression. Here, most of us have all descended from cultures where the mask has played an integral role in society. Looking around, our society is hurting, it is wounded. Could our wound stem from a primal need for our old ceremonial rituals? We have so many different cultures coming together, often leaving tradition behind. At some level, do we instinctively yearn for the traditional customs that brought our respective ancestors together? Are we filling this hole with material objects and noise that doesn’t heal the wound?”

— Alison Berkey

About the artist

Alison Berkey

My name is Alison Berkey. I am an artist and a mother. I do both flat art and sculpture. My preferred medium is painted papier-mâché sculpture. I like to create things out of nothing, cardboard, sticks, yarn. I care about our planet and making environmentally friendly art, is important to me. Give me a room of old large boxes and I will give you a room of cardboard Terra Cotta Warriors.
I got a BFA at USU. I began my art career by installing a 17' tall walk-in whiskey bottle on the sidewalk, around the corner from the Mormon Temple. It was a public piece, educating about alcohol abuse, but neither the Mormon Church or Lord Calvert company were pleased. Hundreds of viewers were however, I heard many meaningful stories in this installation piece.
For a while, I was making Portable Suitcase Altars and soon I packed my own and went to travel and live around the world.
I lived for many years in the ancient stone carving village of Mahabalipuram. The sound of chipping away at stone sculptures lasted well into the night. After several major earthquakes during my time in Asia and living through the tsunami of 2005, we moved here.
I created a lantern festival at my children's school, where every year on Lantern Festival, I help students make over 500 lanterns, which are then lit and displayed outdoors. I design 25 different models, each class makes a different lantern from recycled milk containers. The event draws about 300-500 people ans has become a favorite community event. It has both educated them on a previously unknown festival and delighted them through the creations by the kids.
Otherwise I am making art with my kids or making art without them. If I am not making art, I am thinking about it and drawing up new ideas. It is unfortunate to have only 24 hours in a day.
I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, three children and our 21 year old Indian dog, Mani.

TAGS: