Today we’d like to introduce you to allyson Lipkin.
Hi Allyson, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m a visual artist and musician from Houston, TX. I was not aware of any talent all through my early education, but in the last year of high school, I took an art class and decided to pursue that exclusively. After getting a BFA from the University of Texas at Austin, I started a company making glass lamps and sold them around town. I also joined a band called Deep Sombreros, playing saxophone. Though I could barely play, my musician friends mentored me and I took lessons with Will Greenstreet, a talented jazz technician. That band actually had some success, and I was introduced to playing on the radio, television, and in films. I also wrote songs in that band that I still value today. That band dissolved after a good run of four years, and I’ve been doing the same thing ever since! Starting bands, coming up with ideas, trying to execute them, starting businesses, and pivoting in my career choices. After about ten years making glass lamps, I felt I had hit a ceiling in my technique, and I was burned out. I went back to school and got a degree in graphic design – Visual Communication Design from Austin Community College. I would spend the next three-plus years in school learning how to use creative computer software and hone my ability to conceptualize ideas through design. Looking back that time was invaluable for my growth as a visual artist. I worked in the advertising sector of Austin for the next ten years – three of those years as an art director for MAD Design, a small boutique ad agency. I eventually started my own business, Lipsting Media, and with the help of the colleagues, I slowly started gaining a flow of work. I want to take a second to try to explain this process a bit to anybody trying to start a company. Here’s what that looked like: staring at the computer for three months. Here’s what that felt like: terrifying. I was inspired to go freelance and start my own business, but I had no idea how to cull prospects. I am about the worst salesperson God ever created. I’m shy about my talents, private, and somewhat insecure. Just as I was about to give up, I got a message about my craigslist ad from a local furniture company, which at the time was called Threshold Furniture (now Urbanspace Interiors). They needed an entire branding campaign and I took the lead on it. From then on, I managed the ups and downs of that business, learning to make contacts with people and share ideas and clients. At times I was too busy to take work, and I would pass it off to my colleagues, while other times, I had zero going on. I say this all because over the years, I have developed some techniques to help keep a flow. I learned how to pivot in order to keep moving. When the media dried up, I would visit artist friends and have coffee to drum up inspiration. I am not a joiner, so generally speaking, conferences, marketing groups, and meetups do not interest me. What helps me is keeping clear on my intentions and finding where the joy is in what I do. I have changed career paths again: I have gone back to making glass sculptures, but this round, my interest is with Art In Public Places. I have made two large scale sculptures, one for the City of Austin; and I continue to write grants to present in other cities. It is a slow process but a rewarding one. In the meantime, I have decided that sitting at a desk is trying for me. I am rehabbing apartments with my brother in a new business effort. I have several bands I’m in playing saxophone: I write and sing for my band DD Dagger and we’re about to release three singles and two videos. I play in Minor Mishap Marching Band, Los Coast, as well as the Cinematic Symphony playing movie music in a 60 piece band. I am in piano lessons learning to site read and play the piano; a very slow process. It’s really hard -even for someone who has played music for 20 years! I have a solo show of large-scale paintings forthcoming at Blackfeather Vintage Works on Dec. 31. Where am I today? I’m in gorgeous Austin, TX taking advantage of nature, the water, the amazing music, and the incredibly talented people I know.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Struggles: self-esteem and money worries – also keeping it simple. Worrying about human doing rather than a human being.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I love performing! Many artists/musicians are private, but I love the exhibition – the – presentation of the things I’ve been working on. Musically I have learned that fame is stupid for lack of a better word. What’s important are the connections with people and the healing aspects of music and performance. When my heart is there, there are no bad shows. I feel like a renaissance woman: my favorite things are art-music-dance. So I’m proud of the fact that I have put on several shows combining these things. I have executed several grants for the City of Austin and organized and written the music for professional dancers and theater people – combined visual projections and collaborated with other artistic groups.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Collaborating, dreaming, visualizing. Sometimes I feel that that is the MOST fun part. When you actually have to work and problem solve, that is the stressful part. So I try to live in the dreamy conceptual part and seek support for the execution.
Contact Info:
- Email: love@dddagger.com
- Website: www.dddagger.com
- Instagram: dddagger
- Facebook: dddagger
- Twitter: dddagger
- Youtube: dddagger
- SoundCloud: dddagger
Image Credits
Image with sax: Mark Zell
Close up headshot: Mark Zell
