In The Studio with Horticulturist and Encaustic Artist Allyson Levy

INSIDE+OUT Upstate NY presents the next chapter of our artist spotlight series, “In the Studio With…”—a look inside the workspaces and worlds of the Hudson Valley’s most inspiring creatives. Today we’re Upstate New Yorik with Allyson Levy, a Hudson Valley encaustic artist whose journey to the region is as unique as her artwork. Allyson’s artistic path led her from film-making classes in New York City where she honed her aesthetic framing skills, to discovering a passion for ceramics in San Francisco. However, it was the burgeoning botanical garden she co-founded with her husband and fellow artist, Scott Serrano, in the Hudson Valley that profoundly shaped her creative direction.

The 21-acre garden, Hortus Arboretum and Botanical Garden in Stone Ridge, New York, started as a source of inspiration and materials for their art, eventually evolving into a sprawling 21-acre space encompassing a diverse collection of plants. Allyson’s artwork is deeply rooted in this natural world, incorporating elements from the garden, such as seeds and leaves, into her encaustic, visually rhythmic paintings.

“Allyson Levy transforms nature into art”

Working from her lush botanical garden, Levy preserves seeds, leaves, and flowers in luminous encaustic wax, creating vibrant, textured paintings that double as living archives. Inspired by ancient seed-preserving techniques, her pieces pulse with rhythm, color, and life. Hortus Arboretum—is both muse and medium, anchoring her work in the wild beauty of the natural world. This connection between gardening and art is central to her work, demonstrating how the act of cultivation can directly influence and enrich artistic expression.

Read our exclusive interview below to learn more about Allyson’s journey and her work.

INSIDE+OUT: Where are you originally from, and how did you wind up in the Hudson Valley?

Allyson Levy: I grew up in the 1970s and 80s in Manhattan, the child of hippie parents. My parents built their home upstate in 1984 as a weekend retreat to escape the city. I left for San Francisco, where it was still affordable to live while working part-time as a young person. But not for long. In 1999, we were “dot-commed” out, and evicted by the new owners. My mom showed us real estate flyers for properties in the Hudson Valley with land for around 100K, and we’ve been at the same place ever since.

What inspired you to become an artist, and what was your journey?

Allyson Levy: In middle school, I knew I was meant to do art, but that didn’t necessarily coalesce into anything. It wasn’t until I was combining pictures and the written word as an art piece that led me to attend film-making classes in college. I credit looking at all 4 corners of the frame as my aesthetic framing “ah-ha moment.” It’s probably why when I make my paintings, I almost always work in a 360-degree fashion around the work, never quite knowing what is up and what is down.

While in San Francisco, I found a ceramic cooperative and worked there hand-building forms. That’s probably when I fell in love with the process of making art.

You are also Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Hortus Arboretum and Botanical Garden in Stone Ridge, NY. What is the connection between gardening and your artwork? How do the two influence the other?

Allyson Levy: The gardens actually began as a result of Scott and I putting in plants for our artwork two decades ago. Initially, I looked for plants that had interesting seeds like Maples and their samaras, poppy seed heads, and Northern sea oats, while my husband was putting in plants to attract moths for his drawings. Over time, we realized we were putting the same plants in, just in different places in the garden, and that we needed to come up with a plan. So we kept every plant tag and made notes about where and when we got them, and designed the gardens based on what our interests were at any particular time. The connection between art & gardening for me is that it’s about process and aesthetics. And, of course, trying to work with nature’s inherent beauty.

Tell us about your artwork.  What drew you to encaustic as a primary medium?

Allyson Levy: I saw one artwork at a gallery in San Francisco that utilized wax. I knew nothing about encaustics at the time, but I did have a 3-year-old who loved crayons. I used crayons and paraffin wax for my first series of work that dealt with people’s “owees,” which is the language we were using at the time for the bumps and scrapes that kids tend to get while they play. That led to the idea that we all have owees –  wounds, scars, and stories from our lives that we all carry around with us. For the project, I took polaroids of people’s owees, and re-interpreted them on 12”x12” canvases using a technique called wax moulage. I made about 40 of them, as well as an accompanying book of the people describing their owees.

When we moved to the Hudson Valley, I learned about R&F Handmade Paints. They carry an incredible selection of encaustics and were not far from where we lived. I visited them, and they asked if I wanted to show my work there. I was honored that they showed the 40 works from the “Owee” project. Fortunately for me, they also purchased one of my works, which in exchange got me a whole lot of encaustic medium and paints!

Speaking of books, you’ve also published a book that was noted as one of the “Best Books of 2023!” How did that come about, and where can we find it?

Allyson Levy: Yes, Scott and I wrote a book called Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts, which was published in 2022 by Chelsea Green Publishing. This is a reference-style book that gives historical, cultural, and growing information, and much more. After going to battle (and losing) when it came to growing peaches, plums, cherries, and apples, we turned our attention to gooseberries, Asian pears, medlars, and hazelnuts, to name a few. Our book was reviewed by a prominent writer in England, which is how we got the attention of Gardens Illustrated magazine. The book can be purchased at the publisher’s website and locally at Rough Draft Bar & Books and Chicory Naturalist.

What makes living in the Hudson Valley special for you?

Allyson Levy: I love living in an area surrounded by mountains and trees that experience distinct seasons.

What are the most challenging and the most rewarding aspects of running the Arboretum and making art?

Allyson Levy: Both the challenge and the reward for running an arboretum and for making art is TIME. I carve out time in the early hours to work in my studio every day. Even if it’s just for an hour or so, the fact that I have a studio at home makes those early hours very rewarding. It’s both my church and my therapy.

The reward for running the Arboretum is also TIME. Seeing plants grow sluggishly, not putting on any height for many years, until one day it’s taller than me! The challenge is not to get completely swallowed up by it.

What impact does your business have on your community?

Allyson Levy: Hortus has been and will continue to be a safe and beautiful space for all ages to explore and appreciate the natural beauty and wonderment of what it means to be able to produce food and maintain green space in the Hudson Valley.

What local businesses do you rely on to be successful?

Allyson Levy: Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency.

Local Love: What local business should we know about?

Allyson Levy: Christoph Hitz – A graphic designer in Cottekill, New York. As artists, we are very picky about aesthetics, so when Christoph came up with the logo for Hortus, we were hooked. A few years later, he made an amazing map for visitors to self-tour the gardens with as well as the display signs which are placed throughout the gardens.

What is one question you’re constantly asked or the biggest misconception about your work?

Allyson Levy: The biggest misconception is that the wax in my art will melt. In over 30 years of working with encaustic only once did my work get affected by heat. The gallery I exhibited with decided, because it was winter, to try showing a small work of mine in their front display window. Because the winter sun was relatively low in the sky, the little box window heated up enough that some of the wax on the painting sagged.  Conversely, when my work is exposed to temperatures below freezing for any length of time, it could cause deep fissures in the wax layers and damage the work.

What do you do for fun when you are not in the garden or studio?

Allyson Levy: I’m lucky. What I do is fun. But I would say spending time with my family and eating food is always a good time. I also walk my dogs with my husband at night, which is a great way to debrief and unwind before bed.

Who or what inspires you personally?

Allyson Levy: My mom – her generosity of spirit, really in everything, has been an important role model for me.

Tell us something about yourself that people would be surprised to know.

Allyson Levy: I had a pet snake, and I used to be a part-time assistant food stylist.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Allyson Levy: To click my heels and have a house clean.

What is your current state of mind?

Allyson Levy: I need to plant more trees and make more art.

Photos courtesy of Allyson Levy

Follow/Connect with Allyson Levy via Website | Instagram
This ongoing artist series was produced in collaboration with Richard Hall and Mimi Young, founders of littlebitcreates.

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See more of our IN THE STUDIO WITH… Artist Series:

In the Studio with Abstract Artist Joel Longenecker

In the Studio with Mixed Media Artist Yoko Izu

In the Studio with Contemporary Artist Andrew Lyght

In the Studio with Multimedia Artist David McIntyre

In the Studio with Experiential Artist Amanda Russo Rubman

In the Studio with Bespoke Ceramicist R.A. Pesce

In the Studio with Artist Elizabeth Keithline

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About littlebitcreates

Richard Hall and Mimi Young are the creative forces behind littlebitcreates. They produce a variety of projects, including in-depth artist profiles, event-specific promotional videos, and music videos. Their approach is exciting, innovative, and contemporary. In addition to their client work, Hall and Young collaborate with other creatives to create multidimensional, neo-surreal videos as part of a noncommercial venture. Littlebitcreates emerged from the extensive knowledge Hall and Young gained over 30 years of experience in photo shoots and multimedia art. They exclusively shoot all of their videos on iPhones, appreciating the distinctive aesthetic it produces and the comfort it offers their subjects in front of the camera.

Follow + Connect with littlebitcreates via Website | Vimeo | @littlebitcreates