Allison Newsome is a talented public sculptor/innovator based in Warren, Rhode Island, working in sculpture , stainless steel, brushed and powder coat aluminum, bronze and  architectural terracotta faience. 
 
She received a Masters in Fine Arts degree from Rhode Island School of Design and is on the faculty of Harvard University Office for the Arts. 
 
Her work has been featured at the Venice, ECC Architecture Biennale, Boston MFA, RISD Museum,  Biomimicry Conference San Rafael Ca.,  Boston Rose Kennedy Greenway, Florida Botanical Gardens, Jingdezhen, China, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris France, Kartinty Szalon Art Center Budapest Hungary Mobile Museum of Art (Alabama), Beatrice Wood Museum (Ojai, CA), Fuller Craft Museum (Brockton, MA), Newport Art Museum, and Federal Museum Ben Franklin Biblioteca (Mexico City).  

 

Allison’s RainKeep, rain harvesting sculpture installations can be found all over the world, most recently Allison collaborated with re-a.d Architecture and Design creating RainKeep 'SoHo' in SoHo NYC, and  'Botanica' in Largo Florida.  Each large RainKeep has its own name, derived from the story of its purpose, the science behind its meaning, or materials used. Placed in public spaces such as community gardens and town squares, these standalone RainKeeps each feature a large recycled aluminum tank that can harvest up to 3,000 gallons of rainwater. Visitors are enchanted by its beauty and story of environmental resilience.
 
She enjoys developing sustainable, LEED-based solutions for the Earth’s ecosystem by applying nature-based strategies in her design. This is known as “biomimicry.” Inspired by the redwood trees of her native California whose upper canopies catch coastal fog and direct it downward to maintain under-canopy ecosystems, Allison designs each large RainKeep with an upper canopy and  petal/wing like - stainless steel and or aluminum upper canopy. A central column of  custom made rain chains direct rainwater naturally into the holding vessel/ tank. Residential RainKeeps are  designed and incorporated onto a house,  with  hand crafted 'Rain Chains'  to direct cascading water into the vessel/tank using an existing  roof's surface area.