We recently connected with Allison Baker and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Allison, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?
My generosity comes from the profound impact of the mentors and family friends who invested in me and believed in me when I was younger. Growing up in a college town, nearly everyone I encountered was affiliated with the university. My neighbors, two English professors, introduced me to arts and culture in elementary school—they took me to museums, theater performances, and encouraged a love for creative exploration. Another friend’s parent, a Chemistry professor, taught me how to powerlift at the gym, got me my first job as a caterer’s assistant, and brought me along when they toured East Coast Ivy League schools. I distinctly remember peering into the window at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) while they visited Brown University. At the time, I knew I wanted to attend, but it felt financially impossible. Years later, I applied to RISD for graduate school and, against all odds, was able to attend.
In middle school, another professor-parent taught me how to cook, loaned me books, and shared Adbusters magazines with me after dinners in their art-filled, TV-free living room. These acts of generosity weren’t part of their jobs—they were intentional, personal investments in me as a person. Their belief in me shaped the trajectory of my life.
Now, as a first-generation college graduate and professor, I feel a deep responsibility to pay that generosity forward. I actively give back to my students inside and outside the classroom, supporting them in the ways I was supported. In my studio, I am committed to hiring students who are Pell Grant-eligible, historically underrepresented, and female-assigned at birth because I see parts of my own story in them. These students often face systemic barriers, and I want to foster the same generosity that helped me envision and ultimately embody the future I live today.
I am intensely critical of American meritocracy, even though I might be considered its poster child. Through the generosity and support of others, I was able to transcend the class I was raised in—it wasn’t just hard work, and I certainly didn’t pull myself up by my “bootstraps.” I was pulled up, hand over hand, by many families and professors outside of the classroom who showed me kindness, believed in me, and revealed a life and future I never imagined possible. My ultimate goal is to create a community and culture of care wherever I go that continues this cycle of mutual uplifting.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As an artist, my work is deeply informed by my lived experience within American class structures, gender, and poverty. I haven’t alway approached class with a laser-focused clarity or awareness of my intentions but instead from within what Bourdieu would call a subordinated position, as “the working-class ‘aesthetic’ is a dominated aesthetic.” Put simply, I’m trash that likes shiny things, sleazy things, and nacho cheese.
In my forthcoming body of work, I decided the most important contribution I can make as an artist is to directly address and confront class. I’ve started building monumental public sculptures that memorialize the complexities of late-stage capitalism, illuminating the aspirations and struggles of the American working class and working poor. I aim to create monuments that challenge dominant narratives, humanize the ripple effects of poverty, and offer a reflection of working-class experiences in gallery and museum spaces where such narratives are rarely represented holistically.
The first of these monumental sculptures was recently installed at the Western North Carolina Sculpture Center and three additional monumental works will be exhibited at the South Bend Museum of Art in October 2025.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Grit
Mental toughness is crucial to success. Progress is rarely linear, and it was perseverance through failure after failure that carried me forward. Even when things seemed impossible, I kept pushing and found ways to make progress, often making “a way out of no way.” Grit is also an exercise in discernment—identifying exactly what you want and understanding what you’re willing to sacrifice in service of those goals. At times, I was willing to sacrifice nearly everything. My advice for developing grit is to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and maintain clarity on your long-term goals, even when the short-term path is rocky.
Blind Faith
While I was fortunate to have people who believed in me, I’ve learned that ultimately, you have to believe in yourself. Taking the harder path, taking risks, and investing in yourself requires a leap of faith. I’ve always been a person with plans A, B, and C, but in grad school, I was asked what my Plan B was if I didn’t land a teaching job. For the first time, I realized I didn’t have one. I poured all my energy into applying for shows and jobs when others were out having fun—not out of some sense of moral superiority, but because I couldn’t afford both $35 application fees and $6 cocktails. I chose myself. My advice is to take calculated risks, bet on yourself, and sometimes commit fully to Plan A without a safety net.
Community
I wouldn’t be anywhere without the community that lifted me up. The mentors, friends, and colleagues who supported me personally and professionally made all the difference. At the end of the day, people are the most important resource you’ll ever have. My advice is to cultivate meaningful relationships—be generous with your time and attention, and seek out people who inspire you. A strong community can guide you, ground you, and help you navigate challenges.
For those early in their journey, I’d say this: embrace failure and keep going, invest in yourself with courage, and prioritize building a network of people who believe in you as much as you believe in them. These qualities—grit, blind faith, and community—will carry you through even the most difficult times.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
Two books have had a profound and lasting impact on me: Anne West’s Mapping the Intelligence of Artistic Work and Sheila Heti’s How Should a Person Be.
Anne West’s book is one I return to repeatedly. I took her thesis writing course during grad school, and it fundamentally changed how I approach both my life and work. Mapping the Intelligence of Artistic Work feels like a guided meditation for artists—it’s a framework for exploring the deeper meanings behind your practice, helping you articulate not just what you create, but why. I encourage every artist I meet to pick up a copy. It’s an invaluable tool for connecting your work to your intentions in a holistic, authentic way.
Anne’s personal generosity also shaped me deeply. She gifted me Sheila Heti’s How Should a Person Be when I was struggling to find my voice as a writer. That book cut to my core—it’s quippy, wry, and painfully authentic, and it made me feel so seen at a time when I needed it most. Anne’s gesture was more than just handing me a book; it was an acknowledgment of who I was and what I was trying to say, even before I could fully articulate it myself.
These books, in their own ways, remind me of the importance of clarity, vulnerability, and authenticity in both writing and art. They’ve taught me not only how to understand and express my work, but also how to trust my voice.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.allisonbaker.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajbakersculpture/
Image Credits
I own all the images
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.