Alona Stroup

Always floating in Alona Stroup’s mind is the Tom Robbins quote, “In the haunted house of life, art is the only stair that doesn’t creak.” Life, she believes, is complicated, messy–but art can help, and community–Stroup believes in developing a rich relationship with the mystery of life.

     Stroup graduated with a BA in Religious Studies from the University of Puget Sound in 2019. She was a recipient of the Matelich Leadership Scholarship, as well as the Matelich Challenge Grant, which she used to jump-start the Lila Collective. Stroup is a writer, painter, and tinkerer. She was the 2014 winner of the It’s Always Something Writing Contest for Gilda’s Club Seattle, and was subsequently published in the Seattle Times. Stroup apprenticed to be an antiquarian bookdealer, and regularly enjoys communing with her personal library.

  Stroup was a Guild Artist in Residence in the Spring of 2021 before joining the staff as Hospitality Coordinator. She assisted with the curation of the Guild’s Fall Fundraiser 2021 and has now transitioned to hosting remote community events. She is based in Tacoma, Washington.

     Stroup is never happier than when she is grimy, armed with a socket wrench, actively problem-solving the engine of an old car.