About Alyson Toone
Alyson is a Los Angeles-based textile artist and surface designer. Her graphic aesthetic is informed by art history particularly the Bauhaus, Sonia Delaunay, and traditional West African craft. Alyson, an African-American artist, was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. After she graduated from Columbus College of Art and Design in 2007, she relocated to New York City to pursue a career as a fashion designer. While working for various brands, Alyson maintained a small business creating handcrafted modern jewelry which led to creating with textiles. Due to her personal life experience as a black woman in the fashion industry, much of Alyson's work highlights issues of race, gender and fast fashion. She is often inspired by organic forms in natural science.
In 2014, Alyson started teaching design thinking through craft to women. In 2020, she founded Make It Work to teach crafts connected to design thinking and STEAM to professional teams and individuals.
Education
2007 - BFA Fashion Design Columbus College of Art & Design Columbus, OH
2005 - Study Abroad Program London College of Fashion London, UK
Exhibitions
Commissions
Publications
"Table Runners & Napkins" Spoonflower Home Decor Magazine. Summer 2020
Affiliations
2020 Advisory Council Member - Craft Contemporary - Los Angeles, CA
2019-2020 Teaching Artist - Side Street Projects - Pasadena, CA
2017-2018 Team Member - Creative Mornings Columbus Chapter - Columbus, OH
2009-2017 Board Member - Women Creating Change (Formerly Women's City Club of New York) - New York, NY