Allison L. Norfleet Bruenger has loved art all of her life. She studied art throughout her childhood and was a graduate from Cass Technical High School in her native Detroit, Michigan. She received a scholarship to attend the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio. Allison received her Bachelor of Fine Art in Retail Advertising with a Fashion Illustration emphasis.
Throughout the years Allison has participated in a variety of art shows and exhibitions throughout the Midwest and the south. In these showings she has featured a variety of mediums such as wearable fiber art, home accessories and jewelry. As time progressed, Allison honed in on her skills in jewelry design, sculptural ceramics, and mixedmedia.
In December of 2002 she married her childhood sweetheart James K. Bruenger. They moved to St. Louis, Missouri so he could pursue better opportunities within his life. She attended Maryville University in St. Louis where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Metalsmithing / Jewelry Design in May 2008. She feels this line of studies opened up a whole new area of creativity to give her collectors even more to choose from.
Since her time at school she has strived to become a viable and relevant part with the Missouri art community. She is a Juried Member of Best of the Missouri Hands , a member of the Society of Midwest Metalsmiths, and a Juried member of the Greater St. Louis Art Association. These wonderful organizations have helped her broaden her horizons in the Metro St. Louis and Missouri art community.
Creativity is something that can stir the soul. My goal is to create truly distinctive one of a kind designs that lift the spirit and inspire the soul. I have a love for many mediums within the arts - from metalsmithing to ceramics, from graphic design to fiber design. They all intrigue me and that’s why I am a mixed media jewelry artist. All of these mediums are great on their own but together they open a whole new world to create items that are truly “Wearable Art.”
One of my main focuses in creating my lines of jewelry was to find a way to combine my 2 dimensional images with my love for jewelry design. I enjoy combining my drawings, watercolors paintings, collages and photography with my distinct style of fretwork, wire wrapping, forging and texture within my metal work.
My subject matter mainly involves nature, abstracts, and the beauty of the female image. In society today so many of the images of women are many times negative and degrading. That is why I try to show through my art just how beautiful women are. The beauty of women, colorful abstracts and the beauty of "Nature" give me a voice and this is the vision I want to share with everyone. These concepts are my true inspirations.
