We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Gregory recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

My favorite piece of art, that I have created so far, is a piece called “Letting Go”. 95% of the time I create art with no backstory in mind, no story behind the art. No controversy or pain behind the creation. I prefer to make something that makes people smile. Something that can bring joy and happiness to people. But “Letting Go” became something more.

A call for artists came across my Facebook feed. It was for a photography show. The show was looking for projects that used photography in a creative way. An idea popped into my head. I had recently been experimenting with my abstract photographs, trying to think of different ways to use them. Balloons! I thought. These photos can be cut into the shape of balloons. They would make really pretty, colorful balloons.

I ended up creating a mixed media piece using a canvas, which I painted to look like the sky. I used my Cricut Maker to cut vinyl into a mountain shape and a girl with her arm up holding something. I also used my Cricut Maker to cut the balloon shapes out of my photographs. I attached string to the balloons and led each string down to the girl’s hand. I called the piece “Letting Go”.

The piece is finished and I’m standing back admiring it. There’s just something about it that captivates me. Then it hits me. There is a girl, standing on the top of a mountain, with a big bunch of balloons. Each balloon represents a fear or a worry that we hold on to. Something that we should probably just let go. But can we do it? Can we stand at the top of that mountain and let go of everything that is holding us back? Can I let go? These sorts of thoughts are always running through my mind and maybe that is why I ended up creating this particular piece.

I didn’t plan for this piece to be thought provoking. I just wanted to make something pretty and colorful. Something joyful to look at. But in the end, it became one of my most meaningful projects.

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?

I moved to Tampa with my husband and two children about 7 years ago. Previously I worked “real jobs” but when we moved to Tampa I became a stay-at-home mom. As the kids grew older and started going to school I began creating more. I’ve been taking photos and doing art since I was little but I finally really leaned into it when we moved to Florida.

I am a photographer who mostly takes photos of nature. Flowers and butterflies are my favorite subject. I wrote a kids book called, “Backyard Monarchs”, and self-published it through Amazon. It is a non-fiction book about the life cycle of monarch butterflies. It contains photos that I took in my backyard.

I am an artist who creates many different types of art. I make digital illustrations and I make mixed media pieces. Sometimes I make custom digital art for other people as well. You can find some of my illustrations, characters and designs online in my Etsy shop or Redbubble shop.

One of my biggest influences is Japanese art. Particularly kawaii culture, Anime and Manga art.

I love to make people smile and feel joy. I especially love all things “cute”. My favorite comment from other people when seeing my art is: “awww, that’s so cute!”

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Applying to art shows can be stressful. Some are hard to get into and there really is quite a bit of competition out there. Not only that, you usually have to pay a fee to apply and it is not guaranteed that you will be selected for the show. There were a couple shows recently that I applied to and I really really wanted to get into them. However, I was not selected for either of them.

I talked to my mom and she told me to just keep trying. Keep applying to other shows. I took some time to feel sad about not getting into those shows. And then I started creating again and applied to different art shows. This time I was selected!

Artist life is full of rejection. But it can also be full of acceptance. Learning to cope with both and keep going is key.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Sometimes when I am working on a project or creating something I get lost in it. Everything else around me disappears. My thoughts are hyper focused on what I am doing. They do not wander at all. I never realize that I am in that state until something happens to shake me out of it. But during that time, I feel peace. While I love to make art that makes others feel joy, that feeling of peace I get from diving deep is what moves me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleygstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashleygstudio/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/ashleygstudio