Allison Clarke, BFA: Photography '11
Since earning her BFA in Photography from KU in 2011, Allie Clarke has been telling honest, story-rich family narratives through photography. Based in Lawrence, KS, she specializes in long-form, documentary-style sessions that highlight the beauty of everyday life at home. Her work has taken her across the U.S. and abroad, as she continues to preserve the fleeting, meaningful moments families might otherwise forget.
Q: When did you graduate from KU, and what was your Major/Minor?
"I graduated from KU in 2011 with a BFA, majoring in Photography."
Q: What have you been up to post-graduation?
"After graduation I pretty much worked full time waiting tables at 715 Restaurant here in town and that continued for nearly a decade. I didn’t feel a strong pull to use my degree in any meaningful way for a long time, but that changed after the birth of my second child.
In 2019–2020, everything seemed to collide at once. I was grieving the loss of my dad to early onset dementia, navigating COVID lockdowns, and receiving an autism diagnosis for my oldest. In the midst of all that heaviness, something unexpectedly clicked (and maybe it's just that I needed to channel that grief somewhere), but I finally had the time and space to return to photography. This time with intention and purpose. My outlook on life, memory-keeping, and learning how to parent a child with special needs reshaped the way I saw the world. I started photographing my own life at home in a real, raw, unfiltered way, because I needed to remember it honestly. I needed to remember it in such a detailed way that I could recall it easily - not just the way it looked, but the way it felt to live it. That personal work slowly turned outward and became an offering for others. Six years later, I’ve built a thriving documentary family photography business rooted in everything I’ve lived through and learned. The work I create now is inseparable from my why; it reflects who I am not just as an artist, but as a human, a parent, and someone deeply invested in preserving the truth of everyday life."
Q: What would you like to share with current and future Visual Art students?
"I think the best advice I could give to current and future Visual Art students is to dig deep into what’s driving your art - the aesthetic you’re drawn to and the stories you keep wanting to tell. Even if it isn’t totally clear yet, trust what’s pulling you in and ask yourself why. Think about how you grew up. Think about the photos from your childhood, your family, your ancestry, and how those images shape the way you see and move through the world today. Those connections matter more than you probably realize.It might sound cheesy, but being fully yourself is what will take you the farthest. That honesty is what gives your work depth, and it’s how you’ll find the people who truly connect with what you create."
