About Ali
Ali Mignonne was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1972. Her formative years were shaped by the vibrant energy of being raised by teenage parents. Amidst the lively chaos of her four younger siblings and a neighborhood bustling with kids, her childhood unfolded like a series of adventures reminiscent of “Stand by Me.” From clandestine treehouse meetings, exhilarating ziplining through the trees, and harmonious campfire sing-alongs in her creek-side backyard to explorations in the woods and even an unsolved true-life murder mystery on the next street, Ali’s days and nights were filled with excitement.
Although her early years were marked by vibrancy and enchantments, they were also shadowed, like many beautiful experiences, by life’s harsh truths. Family upheaval, untimely deaths, religious turbulence, and a stroke at the age of twenty all contributed to molding Ali’s character and determining her path. Out of this blend of wonder and tragedy emerged a formidable imagination and a compelling motivation to reshape reality and create a better world. Ali has discovered her avenue to do so through the realms of imagination and creative expression.
By day, Ali is a professional artist, crafting mesmerizing paintings that bring highly textured, sculptural trees to life within enchanting settings. Her work is a symphony of rich colors and dramatic imagery skillfully curated to evoke a profound sense of wonder. This penchant for dramatic expression seamlessly extends into her writing, where she intertwines elements of mystery, history, science fiction, and romance into vivid literary masterpieces. All her artistic pursuits channel that magical essence of her youth. Reflecting on her work, she contemplatively states, “In the end, aren’t we all searching for a little bit of childhood magic?”
Nature is prominently featured in both Ali’s art and writing. Forests, trails, rivers, rocks, wildlife, and especially trees play crucial roles throughout her work. This symbiotic relationship between nature, characters, and canvas creates a seamless sense of interconnectedness, adding depth and resonance to Ali’s creative endeavors.
Ali currently lives in Colorado, having moved there from Texas to be closer to the mountains where she feels most creatively inspired. When not engrossed in creative pursuits, you’ll likely find her on a hiking trail or at a honky-tonk, as hiking and country dancing rank among her favorite pastimes.
ART
The tradition and love of painting were passed down to Ali through the generations on both her mother and father's side. Her great-grandmother Lillian (father's side) was a prolific oil-painter and tapestry maker, grandmother Irene (mum's side) a painter and interior decorator, and her mother, Sherri Mignonne, a well-known professional painter. So, it was a natural progression for Ali to pick up the paintbrush. With no formal training, Ali honed her skills by working side by side with her mother and grandmother, studying techniques of artists she admired, and following her most treasured guide, Intuition.
Great-Grandmother and painter
Lillian "Mema Mac" with Ali.
Ali's mom, Sherri Mignonne, blazed the trail, proving the daunting pathway to becoming a professional artist was obtainable.
"Mema" Irene - artist, decorator, and inspiration.
Ali’s trademark sculptural style developed by chance in the early 2000s after a year of home renovations. As she was using joint compound to create a stone wall effect in her bathroom, she discovered the compound's ability to form different shapes. She began experimenting with brick and stone effects throughout her home and then on a series of cat houses built with her granddad, Ray. Before long, she was toying with the idea of sculpting a floor-to-ceiling tree in her dining room, but instead of experimenting on her freshly painted walls, she took her tree idea to canvas. After much trial and error and transitioning from joint compound to paint, she developed her current technique of blending paint with thickening agents and utilizing palette knives and cake decorating tools to create 3-D trees that pop off the canvas.
Having both a passion for nature and a bent towards fantasy, Ali’s works are a mixture of the earth’s wonders and the mind’s fancy. She combines ordinary scenes with out-of-context colors or images to carry the observer past the boundaries of reality. Her paintings are dramatic and evoke strong emotions with high contrast in color and lighting.
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Ali’s paintings have been exhibited in galleries in Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, and Texas and have been sold to collectors worldwide.
WRITING
Writing was Ali's first creative love and remains a part of her daily expression. She's written stories, monologues, and songs throughout the years, with Tangled Fates being her first novel and first published work. She is currently writing the sequel "Blackthorn," which she hopes to release in 2025.
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"I want to bring new worlds into existence, things that have never been seen or dreamed. For me, writing is creation- from conception in my imagination, to the moment of glory when I give birth to places and characters I've spent months or years developing."
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- Ali
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Go to Tangled Fates page to learn more and to purchase.
