Allison Massari’s powerful, intimate, and boldly imagined artwork beckons the viewer - sometimes playfully, sometimes intensely- always with a poignancy that deeply touches the heart. The vulnerability and honesty expressed in her self portraits, the energy and life that flow through her collages, and the unflinching strength and intelligence that can be found in all of her work, show Massari’s co
mmitment to exposing herself in order to find the common thread that connects us as humans. Primarily a painter, Massari uses “whatever is necessary” to bring her work to life - an interdisciplinary mixture of painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography and collage. Largely known for her self-portraits and her portrayal of the female figure, Massari offers, “I’ve always been deeply interested in understanding people - and I’m fascinated with the human experience. The self-portrait is the most expeditious pathway for me to reach a vulnerability and an honesty to express myself, and to connect to universal emotions of the human condition.”
After receiving her BFA from Rhode Island School of Design, Massari went on to receive an integrated masters degree by combining MFA programs from Parsons School of Design in painting, and the School of Visual Arts in illustration in New York City. Throughout the country, museum exhibitions and private art collectors have embraced Massari’s work. Her collage work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Her art has earned prestigious honors including awards and exhibits in the Tampa Museum of Art, St. Petersburg’s Museum of Fine Arts, and the National Arts Club Gallery of New York City. She has received two Artist-in-Residence Awards from Anderson Ranch Art Center, and was also named Helena Rubenstein Scholar. Commissioned paintings from numerous corporations include Lockheed Martin, US Airways, AAA Motor Club & General Mills. In 1998, Massari nearly lost her life in a fiery car accident, which has greatly influenced her life and her work. She views the accident as a tremendous gift, allowing her to find her strength, take charge of her beliefs, and live life by her own rules. She arose from the experience - literally a phoenix from the flames. The same year of her accident, Massari founded a camp for young teen burn survivors, "The Roger Pepper Adventure Camps" in Crested Butte, CO. Roger Pepper was the brave man who pulled Massari from her car, saving her life and risking his own. Currently, Massari lives in California, where she is consistently creating artwork and living life with excitement, ferocity, and vigor. Her artwork and her life are a testimony to the opportunities that life gives us, if we are open to receive its gifts.
