Allison Dayka is a mom, a muralist, and a TIME Pieces artist passionate about the environment casting light upon the issues that matter, sparking thought, and triggering action for change.

Becoming a mother took everything Allison already believed in and made it urgent. The climate, the culture, the world her child will grow up in — it's no longer just a cause, it's personal. That shift has made her more focused, more fearless, and more committed to her craft than ever before.

It is said that every person has the ability to positively impact the world by looking within and harnessing their God-given gifts. For Allison, that gift is art. Working as a creative to bring awareness to contentious topics and social norms is a role she does not take lightly. Every piece in her portfolio is both visually compelling and thought-provoking — and behind every one of them, there is always a message, always a story.

Allison's goal as an artist is to push the limits of what is normal in technique, color, concept, and collaboration. Making art the living, breathing thing it was always meant to be. As a member of the art community, firstly by lineage, she hopes to challenge her contemporaries to set the craft moving in a direction that is sustainably creative. And for those who come after her including the little one watching her goal is to leave behind a canvas of hope: the understanding that art is life, culture, and one of the most powerful communication tools we have.