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(American, b. 1971)
Ali Rouse combines luxurious precious, semiprecious stones, handmade Bali Sterling silver and glass seed beads on the skulls of noble animals to create an impressive, signature style of art.
Few artists are creating anything remotely like Ms. Rouse's work, with its fabulous combination of beautiful patterns and extraordinary bold presence. The animal form, often with large, gorgeous horns, serves as the frame housing the intricate details of her designs. Each animal offers unique opportunities and possibilities, which Ms. Rouse interprets as angular and symmetrical, or abstracted, simulating movement in the geometric composition.
Taking anywhere from 15 to 80 hours to create, Ms. Rouse links the elements of nature and design to create elaborate designs. Most of the animals she represents are emblematic of the region, such as the bison, bull, and ram. She also uses rare African impala, oryx and kudu because of their distinct shape and beautiful elegance.
A skilled artisan, Ms. Rouse has received major national coverage for her fashion and design work. Her jewelry has been featured by In Style and Vogue Magazines, as well as on The Early Show. The skulls are her most recent artistic venture, and have been exhibited throughout the Southwest, as well as in New York, Dallas, Orlando and Colorado.
Alison began working with beads at the age of twelve in her home state of New York. At seventeen, she relocated to Boston, MA, to attend Newbury College and study interior design. This training inspired passion for color and the use of texture in her beadwork. She has also lived on the Caribbean island Barbados and a brief stay in Virginia.
At twenty two, Ali headed west to Santa Fe, New Mexico. This is where she was inspired to begin beading skulls. She purchased her first skull at the Santa Fe flea market and began by trial and error. The first skull still hangs proudly in her home studio. She was recently the featured artist in Albuquerque, The Magazine, April, 2008 issue. Also in 2008, Ali had a showing at the Harwood Museum located in Taos, New Mexico through the National Museum for Women in the Arts and became a proud member of the Corrales Society of Artists.
EDUCATION
Newbury College, Brookline, MA
Associates Degree in Interior Design, 1989, 1990, 1991
Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA
Interior Design major, 1992
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
“Contemporary Southwest”, Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM June 2017
“Western Totems,” Inez Gallery, Los Olivos, CA, November 2014
“Reincarnation,” Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM August 2012
“Bespoken Bones,” Nussbaumer Fine Art, solo show, Santa Fe, NM September 2008
“Originals 2007,” New Mexico Women in the Arts, group show, Harwood Museum, Taos, NM 2007
“Reincarnation,” Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM August 2012
“Bronze, Beads and Bones,” Nussbaumer Fine Art, group show, Santa Fe, NM September 2007
“Nature Reborn,” Nussbaumer Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM solo show, December 2006
“Reincarnation,” Nussbaumer Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM solo show, December 2005
“Conceptual Paradigms,” Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York, NY group show, July 2004
PUBLICATIONS AND TELEVISION
Mountain Living Magazine, September 2015
Santa Ynez Valley, August 2015
KBAC Radio Free Santa Fe, January 2014
Reign Magazine, December 2013
ABQ the Magazine, featured artist, April 2008
The New Mexican, April 2008
Vogue Magazine, September 2001
Vogue Magazine, December 2001
In Style Magazine, November 1999
The Early Show, television show, November 1999
Brighton Pittsford Post, November 1999
NOTEWORTHY ITEMS
“2015 Painted Violins...Symphonic Strokes,” Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, guest artist, beaded violin donation, October 2015
Man and Women of the Year, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of NM, guest artist, May 2015
US State Department, US Embassy Rabat Morocco: Art in Embassies private commission, April 2014
Works displayed at the NM State Capitol building, Santa Fe, summer 2014
Dr. Laura Program Art Boutique, radio show, guest artist, November 2014
Safari Club International, over 75 private commissions, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Wounded Warrior Project, guest artist, 2007, 2008, 2009