We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Bradley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.

Alright, Ashley thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your creative career?

I was going through the work materials from a past job recently. The job was technical, non-creative, and required following predetermined guides for all things. It was toxic workplace in that you were notified when doing wrong, and not made aware that you had done well, so you worked in fear.

When digging stuff out of the boxes, all of the lengthy notes that I took for the job were decorated and highly illustrated. Cheat sheets I made up for me, also given to my colleagues, were likewise written in happy typographies, with tiny artworks to help make the technical fun and more easily understood.
I found decorations I had made for the office on various holidays, and sorted through tiny post-its that were color-coded and had positive quotes and drawings on them to make me laugh when needed.

After I left that job, I stayed in touch with many of my colleagues, who became friends, and they have since told me how they had appreciated those silly touches, that were never part of my job. Those wacky creative things, along with the relationships I made, were what I am proudest of from that work environment.

Many employers only want their workers to follow directions, and to be another cog in the wheel. Being able to do a job well should never come at the expense of not being yourself. Your artistic touches, your humor, your kindness, your personality, -it is Not replaceable.
Feeling creative in your job is more than being able to express yourself. It’s the difference between linear thinking, from going from point A to point B, -to opening up your mind to the possibilities and ‘in what ways?’ any problem can be solved. The freedom to feel creative and individual makes us feel happier and work harder. This is good for a client or employer, as well as for you!

Ashley, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Recently someone asked me what was the most regular job I’ve ever had. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a classic one! My resume has everything from painting murals in an escape room, painting commissioned portraits, photographing nightclubs, graphic design, and album art. Recently, I illustrated and designed an educational book (“THIS BOOK SUCKS feeding your baby shouldn’t’) on lactation, which is unique in how it delivers information visually and with humor. It is also highly inclusive in language and skin-tone, hopefully helping many people feel represented during a vulnerable time.

For me, I’ve been making daily digital collages from ideas, dreams, and unexpressed emotions, and they usually are shared on my Instagram (cardboard.sky).

How did you build your audience on social media?

When it comes to social media, there is SO much out there to take in, and the most important thing for anyone seeking to build a presence is to find is Your Voice. If you’re a visual artist, embrace your look, your style, and keep on sharing it. You want audiences to connect with you, and that simply means having something that reminds them of you!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect in using my personal creative voice is that I get to use so many tools that I’ve collected through all of the experiences. You never know when any lessons learned on a job can come back and be useful! The amount of times I’ve been able to use the display skills that I developed from the repetition working retail years ago, is ridiculous. Very helpful with photography and composition, (as well as organizing your closet!). Find the lesson in everything, I promise you, you will use it again and it feels great.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cardboardsky.com
• Instagram: cardboard.sky