
Allison “Allie” Ward wasn’t born with artistic talent, she worked for it, line by line and stroke by stroke. Drawing has always been her passion. She admired the detailed botanical illustrations in the World Book Encyclopedia, the geometry and intricate details of the natural world, and the work of Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keefe, and Chris Van Allsburg. Early in her life she studied drafting and architecture in a special program for high school students and hoped to design buildings one day based on what she saw in nature. Life took a turn and she became a teacher. She never stopped drawing as she was raising her 2 children, Taylor and Maggie. She documented their lives in both scrapbooks and sketchbooks. Now Allie enjoys creating botanical illustrations on her I-pad and exploring her hometown of Athens, Georgia through her sketches. She and her dog Jack can be found at historic sites and luxurious gardens looking for material to sketch.