Alison Davis-Holland is the DMV-based Founder and Lead Mend-tor of Art on the Mend, an initiative dedicated to empowering individuals and communities to embrace creativity, repair, and connection through visible mending circles.
Alison is a DC- and Virginia-raised artist, cartographer, geographer, master naturalist, and a lifelong sampler of art classes from drawing and painting to textile art and metal sculpture.
She is committed to creating safe, welcoming spaces where others feel seen and supported. She is trained in mindfulness, youth mental health support, and trusted communication. She is an approved and vetted volunteer with Arlington County Public Library, Arlington County Parks and Recreation, Arlington County Public Schools, and Affordable Homes and Communities.
Art on the Mend has grown into a vibrant, community-driven volunteer network that partners with libraries, universities, museums, maker spaces, and other hosting organizations to bring hands-on mending programs directly to the public.
Why Art on the Mend Exists
Art on the Mend grew out of many seasons of social isolation and connection throughout my life and thinking about what really matters. As a child, woman, parent, patient, and professional, I have experienced the isolation of chronic illness, life threatening illness, a tech career where I was spending more time with my computer than humans, and being immunocompromised during a global pandemic, among other things. Each season of isolation has been a catalyst to reach for and craft opportunities for human connection and to know that we all share in this human experience.
Through shared acts of mending, making art, and singing in community, I rediscover how simple creative practices can heal—not just objects, but our sense of belonging. This work matters to me because it creates accessible, welcoming spaces where people can reconnect, be seen, and gently renew themselves together.
I volunteer my time along with other Mend-tors and am rewarded with time well spent, new friends, and a renewed hope in what change is possible when we connect and include everyone. It is a win-win.
I hope you can join us.
Art on the Mend 