“Prints of my latest textile patterns I’m working on are on the walls. My new collection of jewelry for a small collection spring is off to the left. Getting ready to shoot it soon. My camera plus odds and ends of different materials I am working with for new sculptures are on the back left of the desk. Containers with markers ( just cheep old crayola), colored pencils, rulers, scissors and paint brushes adorn it all over. Sometimes they are spilled all over, but I cleaned my desk over the weekend so they are back in their homes for a few days. A piece of pressed paper is front and center – I am playing around with for a new body of work.”

Alyson Fox makes things from paper, fabric, books, ceramics, tape, wallpaper, office supplies, photographs, old tattered things, new polished things, furniture, and plaster. She has degrees in photography, sculpture, and installation art. She enjoys designing things for commercial ends and designing things for no end at all. Alyson is always working on a handful of drawings and can be seen visiting local thrift stores, hardware stores and eating chocolate for inspiration. Her work has been published in the New York Times, Nylon, Domino, and Lucky to name a few and has been shown both nationally and internationally. She designs a small line of limited edition pieces for purchase under the name “a small collection.”

Currently she is working on some textile designs and a few collaboration projects. Due out this year is a new line of plates, luggage and a book with her art. She lives and works in Austin TX with her husband and puppy dog.

FROM YOUR DESKS: Don’t you miss Domino magazine?

ALYSON FOX: Yes!! Domino was a sad magazine to lose. I got a lot of inspiration from those pages.

FYD: How do you work or how often do you change-up your wall area?

AF: It is constantly changing. My house it too! I probably change my desk wall area every couple of weeks. It’s part of my process. As I make new things I post  them up. It helps me work through more work.

FYD: How did you segue into jewelry and what is the vibe?

AF: Jewelry is very sculptural to me and something that I can sit at my desk and experiment with- like when I draw. It’s personal but something that I can sell to more people. I love thinking of clothing ideas-it’s just hard for me to take the plunge because I have to rely on other people to get me to where I want to go. With Jewelry it’s all me. I’m really drawn to different materials and working them together into a wearable piece. It’s about color, repetition, balance and story telling which is all similar to my fine art-and probably why I like making it. I started “a small collection” to sell limited edition pieces to try to get me closer to being self supportive on my work. The collection will evolve into different objects (I’m working on new ideas now) and it will always have photography to accompany them. I love taking photos!

I probably change my desk wall area every couple of weeks. It’s part of my process. 

FYD: Your faceless women are always on the brink of deep water, perhaps they might be venturing to the dark side. Is this the modern-day woman…always teetering on the brink?

AF: I think you said it perfect. I always refer to my work as familiar and alarming.