Davis Cemetery District & Arboretum

Allison Spreadborough Exhibition
2022-05-02 - 2022-05-31
ARTIST BIO
My name is Allison Spreadborough. I’m a native of Northern California and currently reside in Sacramento. For as long as I can remember I’ve been drawing and creating art. I primarily paint landscapes using watercolor on cotton paper.
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In my mid-thirties, I started hiking and traveling in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and National Parks. I brought along nature journals to capture the natural beauty, then I progressed to painting larger watercolors outdoors. I especially love painting in the Sierras because they reveal an abundant source of imagery and wonder. In fact, the beauty of the Sierras inspired me to backpack the Tahoe Rim Trail twice, along with most of the John Muir Trail, and to hike all of the Yosemite High Sierra Camps.
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​My formal art training took place at California State University, Sacramento and two local community colleges. I later improved my training with private instruction from several National watercolor masters. This intensive instruction helped me to develop my own artistic representation which I describe as California Regional Style meets Dreamlike Expressionism. The use of granulating pigment is notable in my work as well as the use of a wet-into-wet watercolor technique to create an atmospheric expression. My work has been exhibited at California State University, Sacramento; American River College; Sacramento City College and numerous Regional, National, and International group exhibits.
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Because I’m passionate about watercolor, I created and administer a popular Facebook group, Northern California Watercolor Artists. I also joined several Regional and National art associations. ​​In 2019, I was awarded a month-long artist-in-residence at the Bauhaus inspired residency at Pond Farm. Pond Farm is located at Austin Creek State Recreation, in Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve in Northern California. In 2021 my painting “Off Heeser Street Mendocino”, was accepted in the California Watercolor Association’s (CWA) 52nd National Exhibition by Juror Andy Evansen at the Harrington Gallery in Pleasanton, CA. My work is included in several permanent public collections and numerous private collections.
