Artist Statement

My art is layers—of paint, of memory, of life. There is beauty in the raw and imperfect and patina.These layers add depth, character, and truth.. I paint to process, to reflect, to tell the story that can’t always be spoken.

At 53, this raised-to-be-proper Southern girl has weathered life, learned to let go, and given herself permission to be authentic. I dare now—to loosen the grip, to release the need for perfection, to create joyfully and intuitively. I don’t always know where a piece is going when I begin, and I embrace that. There’s freedom in the unknown. There’s honesty in the brushstroke that wasn’t planned.

I embrace variety and contrast—because that’s what life gives us. I celebrate the wild parts, the joyful chaos, the loud, unexpected color. And I also believe in quiet moments—soft, earthy tones that ground us and complement the bold.

My process is both a rebellion and a reverence. I mark the canvas like I mark my life. I feel passionately that beauty isn’t found in a flawless finish—it’s in the layers we’ve lived. The weathered, imperfect parts that show through are what give the whole its meaning. It’s in the courage to keep going, and in the depth those layers create, that real beauty lives.

Bio

Allyson Hardy is a passionate art educator and practicing artist with over 25 years of experience teaching children ages 4 to 18. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Delta State University and is a certified K–12 art and gifted teacher. Known for her creative energy and commitment to meaningful instruction, Allyson has taught in a wide range of educational settings throughout Mississippi and the Memphis area.

After six years teaching art in Desoto County and Memphis, Allyson returned to the Mississippi Delta in 2008 to teach Gifted Education at Hayes Cooper Center. There, she founded HCC’s Art and Soul, a unique program that brought in local artists to offer students both visual and performing arts experiences. After 17 years in public education, Allyson stepped away from the classroom to focus more fully on her own creative practice and to build a private art program that reflected her values and vision as an educator.