Allison Varah

My name is Allison Fees Varah. I am a painter, illustrator, sculptor, and teacher.  In short, I’m an artist.

Welcome! I hope you enjoy my art!

My ultimate goal in artistry is to create pieces for the enjoyment of others.  I create with large brush-strokes swirling on a canvas or an alluring texture, tempting you to reach out and verify the depth of the imagery. To me, art an experience.  That experience should include seeing, an emotional response, and thoughts provoked in yourself and others.

I create art as an occupation, but primarily as a lifelong passion. This passion has lead me to many endeavors;

I have conducted many LIVE paintings for banquets and fundraisers, including Nebraska Cornhusker Baseball, the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Ball, and Clinics with a Heart.  This process is an exhilarating creative challenge, as guests observe the creation of art, from bare canvas to a finished piece, wondering about the form the final product will take.

My passion is also expressed through the education of others.  This is perhaps the art form that demands the most honing and polishing.  Teaching is fun and exhausting, yet rewarding.  Watching artwork unfold from young minds each day is a magical experience. With my guidance in artistic methods, students create expressions of imagination. One example of this is our community mural “Home” which combined the artistic stylings of many of my students which I then composed together to lend some cohesion.  This mural, sponsored by the Nebraska Art Council, is one of my truest joys because the students felt so much pride that their art would be something the entire community could enjoy. Their impressions of “home” have manifested as a lasting community mural for all to enjoy. These community improvements are a source of enjoyment and pride for the participating students and surrounding community.

Depth opens new doors to expression in perhaps my favorite format, sculpture.  Children in my classroom typically share this enjoyment commonly asking, “When are we using clay?”  It inspires me to create something in our space that you can climb on or hold, that can be viewed from multiple angles.  One of my most popular sculptures is a giant monarch butterfly caterpillar for kids (and kids at heart) to climb on.  It is on display outside the Butterfly Pavilion at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo.   

When painting on commission, the subject matter takes on the essence and personality of the customer to create an emotional response each time the finished piece is viewed. I derive great pleasure in creating the perfect piece based on the request.  I’ve had commissions of pets, family homesteads, couples, kids, and more.  Please look through my gallery to see my work, and contact me at allisonfees@gmail.com or find my site on Facebook if you have any questions or would like to talk about a commissioned piece.