Alison Shaw has called Martha’s Vineyard home since moving there after graduating from Smith College in 1975. She spent her first 25 years on the island working for the Vineyard Gazette, where she was a 4-time recipient of New England Press Association’s “Photographer of the Year” award. She also served as Production Manager and Director of Graphics and Design for the Gazette, and Art Director of Martha’s Vineyard Magazine, striking out on her own in 2000. Throughout her career, the Vineyard has provided the primary inspiration for her fine art and editorial photography.
Alison has published twenty books, thousands of her fine art photos are in public and private collections, she is regularly published in major magazines, and she teaches photography workshops worldwide.
The Alison Shaw Gallery, which Alison owns and runs with her partner Sue Dawson, is located in an old single-engine firehouse in the heart of the Arts District in Oak Bluffs. Sue and Alison also offer a photography mentorship program that they teach together.
