About Allison Haley

I am an artist, designer, and dance teacher living in Santa Cruz, California with my husband and young daughter. I create modern, abstract landscape paintings and water scenes inspired by living in California, the southwest, and growing up in New England. Additionally, I am a graphic designer, art director, and marketing “Jill of all Trades”, specializing in events and print design.

I am a lifelong student of two art forms: painting and dance. Both are my meditation and are how I experience being in flow—and I hope to share that that feeling through my work! I also love that their practice results in more beauty and creative energy expanding out into the world!

I also teach dance, drawing from many years of studying cultural dances from Brazil, Latin America, and the Caribbean.  I live with my husband and young daughter and work from my home studio in Soquel village, though I create a lot of my paintings plein air, out in nature!

HISTORY:

I grew up in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region surrounded by the White Mountains. Our family home is on a lake, and most of my childhood memories are of spending time in the outdoors, soaking up the magic of nature. From a young age, I was drawn to the arts, and was always painting, dancing, making music, or participating in theater (organized sports were never my thing!). 

In college, I had the opportunity to spend a summer in Breckenridge, Colorado, which turned into a permanent move. Colorado took my breath away with its endless inspiration and majestic views in every direction. I also loved the people I met there—outdoorsy, creative, travelers from all over the world! After a season of ski-bumming, I attended the University of Colorado in Boulder and graduated with a B.A., majoring in both Studio Art and Cultural Anthropology. For my final “semester”, I backpacked through Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and Europe. I moved back to Breckenridge for some more skiing, and spent several years working at an advertising agency that specialized in ski tourism and luxury real estate.

After several years in Colorado, I made the move to Santa Cruz, California. I chose this town for its outdoor lifestyle, thriving artist community, great music and dance scene, and the endless opportunities of being part of the Bay Area.

I also had the good fortune of reconnecting with a boy from my hometown in NH—and now we are married and have a beautiful daughter! Almost 15 years later, I am still here, and in love with this place and all it has to offer.

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