We were lucky to catch up with Ashton-Kaleigh Narlock recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ashton-Kaleigh, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I was lucky enough to grow up with a mother who was very artsy and into crafts while I was growing up. As her children grew up, she began to pursue her own art career and that inspired me. I learned a lot from doing art with her. Art has always been a part of my identity. I didn’t necessarily think that I would pursue a career in the arts though because I didn’t think I had enough talent. When I began at University I was studying English and unsure if I would teach or try to be an author. It was there that I was able to see what it was like in the art department and I fell in love. I changed my major to art and really feel like I leveled up my art skills at that point. I learned talent would only get you so far and it was really hard work and honing of skills that you need to succeed in any field.
At university, I learned about the importance of process and self-assessment. I feel like there is no possibility for growth without an honest self-reflection so that is one of the most essential skills I learned. Constant self-reflection has shown me where my weaker spots are so that I can continue to learn and seek improvement but it’s kind of a catch-22 because it can be easy to be overly critical which can lead to falling into a dark place. Being overly self critical has led to obstacles such as feeling insecure and even not taking or seeking opportunities at times.

Ashton-Kaleigh, 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 an independent artist from El Paso, Texas working in fine art, illustration, and art instruction.

My fine artwork is often surrealist or abstract realism in style and those pieces are available on my website or various art exhibits that I participate in. I do a lot of commission work such as creative portraiture for people and pets. It is such a special moment when I reveal a custom artwork to a client and they are moved to tears.

The illustration part of my business is creating work that I place on merchandise such as stickers, coloring books, prints, cards, etc. And I do a lot of commission work from children’s book illustrations, posters, album covers, etc.

I teach sip and paint art classes in my hometown several times a month. That is a lot of fun because it feels like I am an advocate for the arts. People have fun doing art themselves and it fosters an appreciation for the craft. I also teach private art lessons to individuals who want to study art a little more seriously in an informal setting.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

One of the ways society can support creatives is by letting go of the ideas that art is just a luxury or worse yet not something of value at all. Both these extreme ideas exist and it is actually baffling to me. Art in its many forms has always added to the quality of life. Art is everywhere there are humans from cave paintings to the packaging of mundane products. People are so much more than cogs in a machine and the arts feed our souls in ways that food and other basic needs do not. It is through human expression -the doing or the viewing- that we can understand more about ourselves on an individual level and as a society. Therefore artists who have skills and vision are critical. If our society can realize this, maybe we can do more in support of those who choose this difficult path by not only giving recognition but fair pay. And we as artists need to do our part by not undercutting ourselves or the industry which perpetuates unethical pay and practices.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There are really two rewarding parts of what I do.. I really love the process of creation. Once an idea has been refined and I get to the stages where I can just work on making that idea into something tangible, it is my place of peace and comfort. That creative problem-solving is where I find happiness and flow. The other rewarding stage comes later when I share the work and someone who connects with it on a visceral level engages with me. Those are some of the most special conversations I’ve ever had in regards to my art.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ashtonkaleigh.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/ashton_kaleigh
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/ashtonkaleigh