Allyson George

BIO

Allyson George was raised in Orlando by her single mother alongside her two siblings (she's a triplet). She discovered her passion for art at a young age, initially aspiring to be an animator. After earning her BFA in Ceramics from West Virginia University (WVU) in 2021, Allyson continued to expand her artistic horizons. Allyson served as an Education Assistant at the Archie Bray Foundation, where she contributed to educational programs and immersed herself in a vibrant artistic community. In the summer of 2023, Allyson held the position of Summer Studio Manager at the Nantucket Island School of Design and the Arts (NISDA), overseeing studio operations and facilitating a creative environment for students. She recently completed a post-baccalaureate in ceramics at Western New Mexico University. Her artwork continues to be influenced by her childhood dreams of animating characters in the realm of pottery, reflecting a blend of humor and technical skill.

artist statement

Growing up, I was captivated by cartoons where the ordinary came to life—the brooms in Fantasia, the toys in Toy Story, and the exhibits in Night at the Museum. These stories shaped how I saw the world. I learned to draw by mimicking the characters I loved and watching how animators gave objects personality, purpose, and emotion. That early fascination with storytelling and transformation now drives my work in clay, which serves as both my medium and my subject.

Before discovering ceramics, I wanted to work in 2D animation. The discipline and repetition of ceramics mirror the animation process: animators manipulate frame after frame to create movement, while I use my hands to shape gesture, freeze expression, and capture the illusion of life. My characters are paused mid-motion, each one a frame in an ongoing story.

Like animators, I aim to create characters that resonate. In my world, ceramic forms—traditionally seen as background objects—become the protagonists. Vessels are no longer passive or purely functional; they have moods, quirks, and stories to tell. I want viewers to see pots not as static tools, but as beings caught mid-action, part of a larger narrative that is still unfolding.

Ceramics is a material full of contradictions: nurturing yet unforgiving, humorous yet volatile. As ceramicists, we are constantly tested by its unpredictability, but it’s this challenge that creates a unique, playful dialogue with the material. I embrace that tension. My characters reflect it—balancing humor, failure, and movement.

My work invites a sense of nostalgia, humor, and spontaneity. It draws connections between the familiar and the imagined, blurring the line between function and fantasy. Through my practice, I aim to create a world where ceramics come alive—and where even a humble pot has something to say.

exhibitions