Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Pharmakis.
Allison, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was an artist from the start. Always finding immense beauty in the details of objects, people, and places around me.
I was raised by two artists in a suburb of Boston.
It was a chaotic environment and I used art to express what I felt I did not have the power to fully express in other ways.
Art became my driving force and has never let up being my sole motivation for fulfilling my potential in this lifetime,
I attended Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston which introduced me to my hankering for and joy of creating mixed media work. I started exploring the concept of wearable art which led me down a path of creating stage clothes for musicians and creating a fashion line of my own. Something within still nagged at me to be expressed and I found myself at that particular time creating a lot of photographs. A close friend of mine was attending a photography school and was quick to suggest that I look into attending as well. I’m grateful that she saw something in my photography and was inspired to make that suggestion. I graduated from The New England School of Photography in 2008 with a whole lot of motivation to put all of my energy strictly into photography. I assisted for local photographers and made more work than I could even keep up with! I self-assigned projects to create portfolios and sought out stories which ignited a desire within me to make work that could inspire self-reflective thought in the viewers. In order to seek a larger audience, I made a move to Los Angeles.
After two very beneficial years in Los Angeles which prompted a shift in gears, I moved to NM for a summer and began working on a television show doing still photography for the Art Department. I continue to work in TV/Film as well as show work, both Mixed Media + Photographic works.
I am currently traveling the country between film jobs doing both photoshoots and mediumship readings.
Adventure and discovery are what fuels my heart, my life, and my art!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been a smooth road! There were a couple of times where I was sure the best option for me was to stop trying to make art and find some other way to get by. There were times where I did not believe in myself, my talents, my unique vision. There were times where I paralyzed myself by comparing myself to others. Times where I could not navigate my way out of an overwhelming feeling of defeat. I was told that I should pick one type of art and do only that. I was given so many different opinions and suggested paths to go down that many times I couldn’t see my trajectory or hear my own inner voice enough to be able to take a single step in any direction. What I have learned through all of that is that deep inside, you know which path will bring you joy. It may not be the popular path. It may not look cool on Instagram. It may be more quiet, more subtle or dedicated to the service of others’ healing, rather than a glorification of self.
If I have one thing to share with women starting their journey, it would be: Do not be afraid to fail. Over and over again if need be. Keep walking and keep making work. Dedicate yourself to the process of discovery and commit to yourself and the refinement of your vision. What matters most is the work itself and how it makes you feel.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Allison Pharmakis | Medium for the Message story. Tell us more about the business.
All of my work is based on the journey of personal spiritual evolution. It is all an homage to the spiritual transformation of a spiritual being having a human experience. I specialize in mixed media works based on spiritual research and findings. My photographic work is a voyage into the character studies of people, places, memories that have impacted me along my journey. I do Visual Mediumship Sessions (channelled readings where I commune with loved ones who have transitioned out of our plane as well as past life recall) under the name of Medium for the Message, which is a service I provide to bring healing to people who are seeking it in order to evolve on their personal paths.
Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
I experienced a lot of hardship growing up. Many challenges that I wasn’t sure I would overcome! I have come to see now how every single thing I encountered allowed me to be strengthened in heart and character. That strength has given me the hearty sense of commitment, dedication, compassion, understanding, and determination to prevail over much of what life has rolled my way.
I use setbacks as an opportunity to lean into fear and difficulty rather than to run away.
That quality alone is enough to see me through many of life’s challenges.
If the meaning of success is the ability to meet life head on and return myself to happiness and love more often than not, then I feel pretty contented in knowing that I’ve found success.
Pricing:
- Photographic Sessions | $300.00 per 2 hr session
- Visual Mediumship Sessions | $125.00
Contact Info:
- Website: www.allisonpharmakis.com
- Phone: 617-230-9627
- Email: allison.pharmakis@gmail.com
- Instagram: @apharmakis | @mediumforthemessage
- Other: www.mediumforthemessage.com
Image Credit:
All Allison Pharmakis
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