Alison Hughes

Hi, I’m Ali and currently in Spain travelling and living in my Campervan. I am an artist, predominantly a maker. However, six years ago whilst struggling with my health I made the decision to trade my home and studio in Cornwall to buy a Campervan and explore warmer climates. During this time I have traveled in my van through France, Portugal, Spain, Italy and as far as the South Western tip of Morocco (the latter to attempt kite surfing of all things!) I fell in love with the Tarifa area of Southern Spain due to it’s similarities to the Cape in South Africa, so for me this is always my coming home to rest space. I spent some years in my twenties living and working in Johannesburg as a Hairstylist. Since then I have had a varied career and have also lived and worked in Cyprus and Portugal. Since being in Spain I have trained in massage therapy and Thai massage in Thailand. I became interested in quantum healing, meditation and alternative methods for self healing.
Over the years many friends and family have suggested I write a book. I am sure everyone has a story they need to tell. But usually I am too busy doing to be writing. Then I felt I should write a children’s book for my granddaughters as a kind of legacy, especially for the oldest one who has spent a lot of time in my van with me until they moved to Malta.
I found drawing for a children’s book is not really my style, but looking back in my sketchbooks today I thought I need to revisit this, some of my drawings are actually OK!
During lock down in Spain and not being able to visit my family in U.K. and Malta, I questioned my lifestyle and the purpose of life. I was reading the Artists Way by Julia Cameron and writing morning pages every day. When I had the internet I took part in Soul Writing on zoom with my friend Matt Rivers. Matt used to run courses in Tarifa and is an inspiration to me. It has been said that my writing style is similar to the author of ‘Lady in a Van’ by Alan Bennett. This seems quite quintessential and my biggest fear that I should actually end up like Miss. Shepherd (the Lady in the Van) and probably not impossible! Spending this time in isolation I began to draw and write again. My friends became the wildlife which surrounded me. I missed the sea and my family, tears rolled down my cheeks. In my imagination one of the Storks who circled above my head came to the rescue. This is a story I began but have not yet finished. Once I came out of isolation I felt starved of people and being free to roam the coast and swim and I needed to address the problems that Brexit and COVID had created.
Sadly or maybe not, I throw away my reams of writings, as storage in a van is very limited. I have adjusted to the lack of a studio and all my beautiful art books. I read digitally now and one of my favourite authors is Marakami. I love the way he tantalizes and stimulates my imagination. As far as art books and books with pictures I never really get over the lack of books. I miss that feeling when you can just browse a bookshelf and pick some new inspiration for the day and the visuals are so much clearer and the enticing smell of the pages.
If the truth be known I am proficient at procrastination and ultimately a bit of a butterfly. I spent many years bringing up my family and have and still feel inspired by them. Once the children flew, so did the mother. I think they are bemused by my choice of lifestyle. But for me now, I cannot imagine life any other way. Every day I say thank you for the journey of life, for the interaction with the variety of characters I meet and the incredible scenery I encounter.