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

Ashley, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

The first time I knew I wanted to pursue an artistic career was in 2019, painting on the side with old paints from my school days, three months into a “create everyday” self-imposed challenge, and working full-time in marketing. After almost a decade in multiple desk jobs I was at a loss for what I wanted to do and thought I needed to refigure my strengths and passions. When I came across my old paint supplies, I realized my passion had been there all along waiting for me to pick it up again. Rediscovering my inner artist put me on a path of purpose and self discovery. I started building new habits, with painting as a daily necessity and a whole new industry to learn. 2019 was the pivotal moment where my love of art turned into the start of my art career.

Ashley, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am originally from Raleigh, North Carolina and still live in the flourishing City of Oaks. It’s a wonderful area full of nature and people of all backgrounds. Growing up I was always creating; it was the best part of any school project and where I excelled. Most of my family is creative visually and musically but saw the arts as frivolous hobbies, so there wasn’t much push for pursuing an art career. Thus I went through college trying to find a degree to get a standard job with benefits, and pushed my artistic urges to the back of my mind. For too long I allowed myself to be pushed down a path that pleased others instead of following my own interests.

My twenties were a blur of mindless work and distractions accelerating to a crisis of identity. Everything became clear when I found my old art supplies and put paint to canvas. Wonder and joy filled my soul, remembering a long forgotten dream. I started investing in myself, reading books about art and business, and taking art classes. In 2019, I started to create a portfolio of work, gaining momentum to build my own business on the side while I stayed in my marketing job. Everything accelerated in 2020 with the pandemic and finding myself without a job. I dove in head first, setting up my business, sharing on social and networking within the local art community for support.

It’s been about two years since I started my art career and it has been such an eye-opening experience. Art is instrumental in the human experience, it helps heal the mind, presents new perspectives, and fosters empathy. I’ve explored many subjects from landscapes to animals and abstracts, learning what speaks to me as an artist along the way. My current work brings intention and focus to my inner artist and outer form, working with acrylics and charcoal. I am exploring different perspectives of the female figure through my everyday experiences, developing twisting abstract figurative shapes. My paintings are done on large canvases to allow for dynamic full-body movement resulting in a composition of the body, by the body. This helps me process my views on the portrayal of women’s bodies and how body language is linked to emotional states.

In the past years, I’ve made many connections with viewers through my work in colorful landscapes and animals, as well as exhibiting in public spaces and creating personalized work for public and private collectors. As I continue my artistic journey, I am excited to keep exploring subjects that I am drawn to and to connect with people through relatable experiences.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

As I continue to create I am faced with new questions about myself and how I view the world. It requires me to think philosophically on past experiences and what I’m trying to communicate. This daily reflection and discussion with myself has opened my mind to be more curious and less obstinate. Art instigates knowledge and empathy and that’s what I hope to spread through my art. I want viewers to take away a new perspective, curiosity and connection to humanity.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the infinite amount of ideas, techniques and conversations that you get to explore. It’s the one place where failure is encouraged. Embracing failure allows you to push your boundaries on understanding certain ideas and to experiment without holding back. Being an artist creates a cycle of introspection and implementation which gives the artist’s work authenticity and the artist personal growth. It’s truly humbling to practice the arts and have the opportunity to grow as a person and to create something that can connect on a deeper level of human understanding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bleedingartstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyharringtonart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bleedingartstudiogallery/

Image Credits
All images taken by the artist Ashley Harrington