Mara Allison

Art was always part of my life growing up in the Philippines. My mother encouraged my interest in the visual arts. However, when I started a family in my early 20s, art disappeared from my life. In 2002, I finally mustered the courage to leave an abusive marriage. While it was the right decision, I dealt with a lot of fear, pain and anxiety. Raising two young boys and running a business had me on the road to burn out. That same year, I attended a ceramic workshop that changed my life. Art became an avenue for healing. My mind found rest with the rhythmic motions of pushing, prodding and pressing clay. I became enthralled with the process of turning mud into something beautiful. At the same time, I started going to a local church where God placed me in a life group who showed us kindness and love. I truly felt God’s love and embrace and knew that somehow he would take care of us. In time, these experiences started shifting the perspective for my own life – that my past did not define me and that I had the ability to change the trajectory of my life and shape my future.