Allison Doke is an impressionist painter based in Marietta, Georgia, whose evocative works reflect a lifetime of travel, observation, and passion for light. Born in Liverpool, England, she moved to the United States as a young child, carrying with her a curiosity about the world that would one day find expression in paint.
From an early age, Allison’s artistic inclination was unmistakable. She spent countless hours filling sketchbooks with drawings inspired by her surroundings, capturing moments, people, and landscapes with a keen eye and an imaginative spirit. Her love for art led her to pursue formal studies at Westfield State University in Massachusetts, where she earned a degree in journalism with a minor in art. While writing honed her storytelling ability, it was painting that would eventually become her language of choice.
A Flight Attendant’s View of the World
After college, Allison embarked on what became a nearly 30-year career as a flight attendant with Delta Airlines. What began as a profession soon evolved into a profound education in culture, color, and beauty. Traveling across continents, she spent her free time visiting some of the world’s most celebrated art museums, standing before works by the masters who had inspired her since childhood.
These experiences became an integral part of her artistic journey. The vast skies she viewed from airplane windows, the ever-changing light of distant cities, and the quiet poetry of everyday life around the globe all became embedded in her visual memory. They would later resurface on her canvases in the form of soft brushstrokes, luminous palettes, and emotionally resonant scenes.
In 2020, upon retiring from Delta Airlines, Allison made the bold decision to follow her dream of painting full-time, a turning point that transformed her lifelong passion into a professional pursuit.
Refining the Language of Light
As a painter, Allison Doke works primarily in the impressionist tradition, embracing spontaneity and the beauty of imperfection. Her paintings often explore the interplay of color and light, seeking to evoke not only what the eye sees but what the heart feels.
A lifelong learner, Allison continues to deepen her artistic understanding by studying under renowned impressionist painter James Richards. Through these studies, she has refined her ability to translate fleeting moments, whether a quiet afternoon in the countryside or the shimmer of twilight on water, into timeless visual experiences.
She is a proud member of the American Impressionist Society, an organization that celebrates and advances the legacy of impressionism in contemporary art. In addition to her personal practice, Allison shares her knowledge and enthusiasm by teaching weekly at her Marietta studio and at James Richards’ studio in Tucker, Georgia.
Recognition and Exhibitions
Over the years, Allison’s dedication and talent have earned her significant recognition in the art community. Her works have been featured in numerous juried exhibitions, plein air competitions, and museum shows across the United States and beyond.
Among her many achievements are honors such as:
- Best in Show Award at the American Impressionist Society Wet Wall Competition for “Take Me for a Ride.”
- Juried acceptance into multiple American Impressionist Society exhibitions, including the Small Works Show, the Associate Member Show, and the All Member Exhibition.
- First Place Winner at the Alpharetta Paint the Town Plein Air event.
- Artist-in-Residence in Orquevaux, France, where she spent several weeks painting the countryside that inspired many of the great impressionists.
- Numerous additional recognitions in regional and national exhibitions, including shows at the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art and the Robert Kent Galleries.
Each exhibition and award represents not only a milestone but a step in her ongoing journey toward artistic mastery.
The Artist-in-Residence Experience in France
One of the defining experiences in Allison’s career was her selection as an Artist-in-Residence in Orquevaux, France, in 2019. Surrounded by the idyllic French countryside, she immersed herself in plein air painting, a practice central to the impressionist movement. The residency provided her with both solitude and inspiration, allowing her to explore the subtle variations of light across landscape and architecture.
It was in France that Allison began to feel a deeper connection to the lineage of impressionism, tracing the footsteps of artists like Monet and Renoir while forging her own distinct voice. The experience reaffirmed her belief in the power of painting from life and the joy of capturing moments as they unfold.
Notable Paintings: Twilight and Bloom
Two of Allison’s notable paintings, “Twilight Mooring” and “The Flowers,” exemplify her ability to balance mood, color, and atmosphere in her work.
In “Twilight Mooring,” she captures the gentle hush of evening as boats rest in still waters under fading light. The painting glows with soft hues of lavender, peach, and gold, inviting the viewer to linger in its peaceful serenity. The delicate reflections suggest both stillness and movement, an emotional quiet that speaks to the heart.
“The Flowers” presents a more vibrant, spontaneous energy. Through confident brushwork and a bright, sunlit palette, Allison conveys the liveliness of blossoms reaching toward the light. It celebrates the resilience and optimism of nature, rendered through an impressionist lens that invites viewers to feel the warmth of the scene rather than merely see it.
Both paintings reflect her intuitive understanding of how color and form can communicate emotion. Rather than striving for literal representation, Allison allows the paint itself to guide the mood, an approach that gives her work its signature freshness and vitality.
Teaching, Sharing, and Inspiring
For Allison, art is not a solitary endeavor but a shared experience. As a teacher, she fosters creativity and confidence in her students, encouraging them to see beyond technique and embrace the joy of discovery. Whether in her Marietta studio or during workshops, she emphasizes the importance of observation, patience, and the willingness to let go of perfection in pursuit of truth.
Her teaching philosophy mirrors her own artistic process, intuitive, heartfelt, and rooted in the belief that light and emotion are inseparable. By guiding her students through the nuances of color mixing, brushwork, and composition, she helps them unlock their individual voices while staying connected to the essence of impressionism.
Continuing the Impressionist Legacy
Allison Doke’s artistic journey is one of transformation guided by curiosity, discipline, and a lifelong devotion to beauty. From her early sketches as a child in Liverpool to her plein air landscapes across Georgia and France, she continues to illuminate the world through her painterly vision.
Her work captures more than just scenery; it captures the quiet poetry of a moment seen through the eyes of someone who has spent her life moving through the world, observing its endless variations of color and light.
Through her teaching, exhibitions, and dedication to the impressionist tradition, Allison carries forward a legacy that began with the masters of the 19th century yet remains entirely her own. Her art reminds us that beauty exists in every fleeting moment and that through paint and light, those moments can be made eternal.
