Statement:

I believe our relationship to art and design connects us with humanity by providing a means of cultural expression and a voice for imagination. I use pattern, color, and form to create imaginative print, sculpture and installation. Working with a variety of media such as fabric, cardboard, paper, and found packaging materials, I use elements of drawing, printing, and photography to create a translation of my experiences in the world. The materials I use are related to concepts of function, material culture, and sustainable design practice. For example, I reuse the the textile art from my printed installations, find fabric that had a previous use (such as hotel sheets) and recycle back the cardboard or printed paper. I find that working across these areas in my art addresses questions about what we consume, how we shape cultural identity or how it shapes us and the delicate relationship to sustaining nature amidst growing economies of material consumption. I hope that my work may stimulate connections to all things and the need to celebrate and protect the diversity of life.

Process:

Ashley sources her materials locally through people and business who are discarding their materials. Living in Japan, she has access to various old kimonos that can no longer be used. She also uses old clothing, hotel sheets, and discarded textile samples from interior design shops. When constructing her sculpture and installation artworks, she uses found cardboard, paper and fabric. Once these site-specific installations are complete, she will take this apart and reuse it for future art for the wall for example. Ashley designs her own fabrics both by hand and digital print on demand sites. Her artwork can be enjoyed either as a one of a kind piece or as an object for everyday use. When making her artwork, she uses various supplies such as acrylic paint, water-based inks for print, cyanotype printing, drawing and watercolor.