Alison was born and brought up in Ardrishaig, Mid-Argyll, where she started painting while still at school.

She moved to Glasgow in the early eighties to attend university and graduated with a BSc Civil Engineer from Glasgow University. After working for several years in engineering, she decided to return to more creative pursuits and took up painting again. Alison now lives and works in Ayrshire with her husband, two young children and various livestock!