Rose Allison (formerly Jessica Allison-Bourne) is an interdisciplinary artist living in Portland, OR and working in painting, illustration, printmaking, and sculpture. She’s earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Portland State University and holds an Associate of General Studies degree from Portland Community College. Recent Exhibitions include: In Our Time, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Portland, OR; Femininity, Autonomy, and Desire, Sugar Cube Gallery, Portland, OR; and IRL: An In-Person Show of Student Work from Virtual PCC Exhibitions, North View Gallery, Portland, OR. In her practice, Rose invokes symbolic traditions in esoterica, philosophy, and mythology to explore human connection and the greater design inherent in nature. She owns Clawthorn Creations LLC, where she continues this exploration in the form of sculptural jewelry.
"Through a lens of dark romanticism, I invoke symbolic traditions in esoterica and mythology to explore themes that relate intrinsic human experiences. My work is an excavation of beauty from realms of shadow, and a search for connection to a greater design inherent in the natural world. Inspired by the structure and organic motifs of Art Nouveau and the archetypal frameworks of folklore, occult systems, and philosophy, I create pieces that connect humanity to nature and one another.
I create illustrations, paintings, prints, jewelry, and sculptures with curving shapes and metallic elements. I employ framing and structure in my pieces, and I’m drawn to this mixture of order with wild, swirling movement. My work includes gilding and texture that gives the pieces physicality and presence. Whether their purpose is to be worn or viewed, my pieces react to light and setting in an enchanting way. By employing jewel tones (or actual jewels), metals, reflective surfaces, and intricate details, I strive to create an allure in my work similar to finding treasure in the wild."