What is the Mobile Art Studio?

The Story:

In April of 2022, I pointed my truck south from Alaska to head to the Lower 48 to pick up and debut my very own mobile art studio & gallery.

The dream and plan had been in the works for years. Originally conceived as a Covid-19 adaptation after my brick-and-mortar studio closure in 2020, the idea snowballed. The mobile studio came to represent a shift in the orientation of my life. I wanted to paint more, of course. But I also wanted geographic mobility. I want to live a life immersed more in the outdoors. The idea was to pack all of my art supplies into a functional, beautifully designed studio and gallery on wheels; take it straight to the landscapes I love to paint the most, and connect with people along the way.

One year later, in 2023, my husband and I were able to fully make that dream happen. We sold our house. We got rid of a bunch of stuff, and packed up the rest. We quit our salaried jobs, and we towed the studio (and ourselves!) toward a new life. I would prioritize art and painting as my primary vocation. Wes, my husband, was going to be a wilderness guide.

Now, this is us! We live full time in the studio. We move around from season to season, depending on where Wes’ work takes him and where I line up studio events. Generally you can find us in Utah, Nevada, or Arizona but we still make it up to Alaska pretty frequently (via plane), and love to be outdoors in many spots across the Lower 48.

The Studio:

The Alli Harvey Art Mobile Studio is quite literally a dream come true. It’s a sleek, 19’ Airstream trailer with plenty of light, easel set up, and displays built right in. It’s set up for painting and retail, but also comes equipped for life on the road: a kitchenette, couch that converts to a bed, and yes, even a teeny-tiny bathroom.

Many, many people helped make this a reality, from friends who encouraged me one rainy early evening drinking wine on their front porch, to Wes who partnered with me every single step of the way, to family, friends, colleagues, designers, and builders who donated toward construction and purchased my artwork, and even new acquaintances I met who helped me (safely) unhitch at my very first campsite. I cannot count the ways that it has been incredibly meaningful for me to not only have this become a reality, but how it happened with so many people supporting me and this in innumerable ways – and how it continues to grow!

Of course, a picture is worth all of these words. Here are several:

The Build:

Interested in Airstreams, or just in learning more about how this worked? Check out the fantastic builder I worked with, P&S Trailer Service in Ohio. They ordered an off-the-assembly-line shell from Airstream, Inc., that they then customized to meet my needs. Design was led by the incredible Wood + Locks, whose vision translated seamlessly into reality.

Support my work

Interested in supporting this idea and my art? The best way is to find an original painting you love, or commissioning one! Or, just drop me a note letting me know that you’re loving what I do, and share this site with a friend you think might enjoy it. I do absolutely none of what I do in this world alone, and I so appreciate all of the belief and confidence that is invested in me.

Thank you all for following along and being an essential part of this!