My Pooch- the destroyer!!

Lydia loves to chew up fabric and in this case the teddy bear gets it good!! She's a little killer. 

Check out the teddy bear guts to the left of her. 

I'm such a baby blogger

So, I'm gonna do my best to start really adding a lot more to this blog. Not just what I'm doing with my art/paintings, but also with how I live my life. I realize that we all strive to live passionate, inspired lives and that in many cases the lives of artists can be so free and inspiring. I know this from my own experience living closely with many artists, reading artist biographies and just by seeing the way that people respond to the way I live my life. I want to share my philosophies, my experiments with life, my fears, joys and outbursts of creations! I hope these posts will be accepted kindly and enjoyed by many!

I'll probably end up giving a ton of visuals. I'm still not sure what kind of voice I want to have with this thing.
Ok, enough chatty chatting! Here's some pictures. . . some candy for your eyes. . . :)

About six years ago I started a painting of my sister and I. This was a few years after I first started to really learn how to paint. I've always made things, but this was the time in my life that I began really creating visual imagery that reflected life as I saw it. My sister and I have a rough past, we went through a lot together as well as apart. We pushed each other away and then held on tight. Today, we're still holding on tight to each other. The bond between us is unbreakable and beautiful. When I began this painting (with the little technical skills I had under my belt) I wanted to explore the joy as well as the hurt that we experienced because of our own adolescent stupidity and clumsiness as well as the connection that we have as blood relatives, as sisters. A powerful union that has the ability to last through out many many lives.
I started the painting in Florida, where I grew up and I recently asked my dad to ship it to me. . . I was finally ready to finish it. It's gonna take me a while to get through. Maybe 6 more years. Which I'm fine with.

This is the painting in its original state, the way I left it several years ago:

And this is my progress so far: 

I don't usually paint like this now, so I have to be in a special mood to paint this way. That's probably why it will end up taking so long. But it's worth it. 

Here's a pic of my space and the other paintings I'm working:

Hope you enjoy!

Queer Art?

AxD gallery queer artists and gallery directors.

The Artists

I've been very fortunate this month to participate in Q Fest. Not only was my work in a fantastic group show, but my best friend Rae Drew also performed in the Queer Memoir Salon the other night. It was an intense night of queer writers being totally ballsy and telling all about they're experiences. The theme was Sticks and Stones. And as most anyone growing up as glbtq or even being in close relation to someone who is, sticks and stones can be quite prolific and extremely painful. These folks got on stage and told all and told it with pride. We got to hear about these painful experiences and at the end of each story or performance it seemed everyone came out of it just fine. The warm fuzzies were running rampid, but not in that Full House, cheesey kinda way. This was heart felt, genuine personal and spiritual growth.  It was a wonderful and empowering evening.
Unfortunately I haven't gotten pictures from the show yet, but I'm working on it.
Above, though are pictures from the Queer Art? show that I was in.
More to come!!

Current Show

To see the painting below in person go to AxD Gallery located in center city Philadelphia. It's up till the end of the month.  You'll also see lots of other great work by 10 other artists!

 For more info go to:
http://www.a-x-d.com/gallery/current

The Demure Doctor

This painting is approximately 4.5 feet by 6.5 feet. Mixed media on water color paper

Thanks!

Hi there,
If you're checking out my blog, thanks for spending the time to look at my stuff. I've been thinking a bit how my work might affect others and why it has relevance. My work is highly personal to me and it's always so thrilling when I'm able to witness someone seeing one of my paintings for the first time. In my work,  I'm not commenting on anything outside of myself and yet it can still affect someone other than me. I'm aware of how deeply we are all connected, how universal human emotions and desires are. And I think that is what makes my work relevant. For me, the art that seems extremely personal to the artist is usually the art that speaks to me in the most powerful way. If you make art, I'd love to see it. Please leave me a link to your work or follow my blog so I can follow yours too. If you know someone who might appreciate the work you see here,send it to them. I'd love to be connected with more folks!
Thanks again!
Ashley