Massari Thrives in Her Second Act

Some stories are simply too good not to share.

That’s the adage propelling the ever-expanding universe of Allison Massari, a longtime painter, sculptor and jewelry maker whose tale of tragedy and triumph has spawned a burgeoning second act as a motivational speaker.

Massari’s moving speeches have taken her all over the world, and she recently returned from speaking in Zaragoza, Spain, as part of the prestigious TEDx series. The fruits of her lifelong pursuit as an artist, meanwhile, take center stage tomorrow night at on Throckmorton as part of the .

“Allison is a gift, and for those of us fortunate enough to know her, she is a blessing to be shared,” Famous 4 owner Larry “the Hat” Lautzker said. “She’s one of the most courageous women I have ever met, giving to so many. I'm very grateful to be able to share Allison’s humanity and talent in my community and the world.”

A native of St. Petersburg, Fla., Massari lived in Tiburon for the past seven years before moving to Novato in recent weeks. For the past 25 years, she’s been painting, sculpting and making jewelry, drawing acclaim for her work. Jennifer Hardin, the chief curator at the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts, where one of Massari’s collages hangs in the permanent collection, calls her work “stunning.”

But it is Massari’s journey back from horrific trauma that has been the inspiration for her speeches. In Florida 13 years ago, Massari was involved in a 60mph car crash that left her trapped and burned alive. As she struggled to recover physically and emotionally from the incident, Massari had moved to Colorado when she was struck again by a car less than three years later, leaving her with a brain injury.

“I can’t believe this is my story,” she said. “But I feel so honored to tell it. If I can come through this and find true happiness and a true sense of peace, then it can happen to everyone.”

Recovery was an arduous, painstaking process, Massari said. But about three years ago, she realized that she’d come out on the other side of it and was ready to share her story.

“The life of an artist can be reclusive,” she said. “I literally found myself hiding and felt like I was holding in all these secrets. There was a fire inside of me and I had to let people know what was possible.”

That fire has landed Massari attention in an array of media, and she is one of 10 people chosen as subjects for a new documentary from Polaris Global called ReSolve, which focuses on stories of people overcoming post-traumatic stress.

“This is my mission on earth,” she continued. “I’ll forever be an artist but none of us are defined by one thing, and I really celebrate in my life the freedom of living true to my heart and passion every day.”

The 411: First Tuesday Artwalk is Tuesday, Dec. 6, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at venues throughout downtown Mill Valley. Click here for participating venues and artist info. Allison Massari’s work is being shown at Famous 4 at 96 Throckmorton Ave.