Pretoria artist Rici Allison (70) hopes her lifelong passion for painting can inspire others, as she shares her creative world with her husband and family.
The journey from painting a childhood friend’s door to running art exhibitions has been ‘vibrant and deeply fulfilling’ for the artist.
Her most recent project is a self-portrait filled with colour, texture, and a vibrancy that reflects her personality.
She explains that she painted it alongside her son in her studio, and described the piece as a reflection of her lifelong love for art.
“My personality is colourful, friendly and happy. I love textiles and texture, and I wanted to bring that feeling into my self-portrait,” says Allison.
“It’s not just about the image. It is about expressing the emotion behind it.”
For Allison, painting has been a faithful companion since childhood.
She was born in Vereeniging and raised in Pretoria, where she attended an art high school before studying textile design at the Technicon in Pretoria (now TUT).
Her love for creativity later took her to Germany, where she spent several years studying at an art academy in Hamburg.
“I’ve always breathed art,” she explains, saying that her creativity extends far beyond her own canvases.
“I teach people step-by-step how to paint, and I love seeing them discover their own creativity,” she says.
She believes painting is not only about art, but also about giving people a joyful and uplifting experience.
Allison says her creative energy flows into every aspect of her life, and art is not just something she does, but something that defines who she is.
She runs an art shop at House of Superior Clothing in Brooklyn, where she hosts step-by-step painting events and monthly arts and crafts workshops.
Together with her husband, Stephen Allison, a medical doctor and former symphony orchestra musician, she has created murals and designed props for events at their wedding venue, Duck and Dine, in Arcadia.
Their creative partnership has become an important part of their life together.
“I was painting a friend’s front door when I first met my husband. He was her GP at the time and had come over for a visit,” says Allison.
“We soon discovered that we both loved the creative world. He is incredibly talented, and because of his work as an ophthalmologist, he has remarkable hand co-ordination.”
Allison says her husband often helps her paint murals and make event props, adding that artistry runs deep in their family, as both of their sons are artists.
One of their sons owns a gallery in Cape Town, and the other paints large murals for a major restaurant chain.
“My family is full of creatives,” she says, adding that their daughter is a professional dancer, living in Hong Kong.
“Even my husband, though medicine is his profession, shares this love of creating with me.”
Despite her success, Allison admits that being an artist is not without its challenges.
“It is not an easy career. It can be difficult to get people to connect with what you are trying to portray,” she says.
However, her passion for uplifting people and showing them that anything is possible keeps her motivated.
She encourages aspiring artists to never give up on their dreams. “Art gives more to you than you could ever imagine.
“It becomes your friend, your soulmate, your purpose. It is not about money but about what it brings to your soul.”
ALSO READ: Ackers comes home to lead Bulls at Loftus
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
