Reflections and Refractions
If you were to ask me how I got started in the “art world”, you’d either think I was stupid or bold.
I went to school, majoring in Graphic Design, and ended up dropping out in 2018. While working at Amazon warehouse(F#$k them) i made the decision to do the best in could with what I knew and with the resources i had around me. At this time, I had no knowledge of what Art Basel even was. In college that name was not thrown around(which is kinda weird now that i think of it).
Young Ashley took to YouTube and Instagram, and google to see what opportunities I could do to make money as an artist. I ended up vending often and submitting works for group shows, until eventually I realized that where I am now—personally and locality-wise—isn’t go to get me to where i could be thriving…I’ve barely surviving. (Thanks mom).
It’s now the 3rd week of January 2025, TikTok and CapCut is now banned, and i just hopped off a call with my first mentor/art advisor. He has been in the art world for years now and has grown his own collection of beautiful meaningful artworks. During this phone call he expressed his disbelief in my situation. He thought that I had many galleries, and a mentor, etc .
He really read me.
I needed that read tbh.I am now seeing how much I need to look into things—study it almost. And even learn about frames, and weather on canvas and pricing.
Not going to lie, it’s making me reflect to much on what i have been doing, and how i have been struggling, seeing it as a waste of time, when really it’s not. It’s a learning lesson that this way doesn’t work, and I really need exposure for my work. I know my work it amazing. I love the work that I create. If I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t share it.
This conversation is making me see how I have been presenting my work—possibly presenting myself—and that presentation of the work is so so so important, especially when handing it off to it’s new owner.
Wrap it up? That’s not something that I ever had to do. But coming from an Art collector, I see how it’s important—and how it ads to the excitement of unraveling a one of a kind art piece.
I’m seeing how my whole thing needs refinement. I’m going to do my best to be compassionate with myself…because I’ve been goin at this for a few year all by myself, hoping to fall into the right places and meet the right people.
Compassion and devotion to my craft and my self. And being Seen.
Transparent moment… I’ve been posting consistently (at least 1-2 posts a week) on IG and slowly grew to 2.5k followers. The engagement on there honestly sucks A$$, so ive decided to start another page, and attract more genuine supporters and community.
With that being said, I’m considering putting this site on hiatus, because paying monthly subscriptions to not even make the monthly subscription back in profit…is sad, and feels like I’m failing as a business. And honestly is a waste of my time, doing my best to create value for people that are here to receive it. So a hiatus, a break and a part-time job might be best for me.
Sooooo, it’s April now. I am now going on my 29th rotation around the sun. And I might not get rid of this site after all. I do believe this website has pretty much all my work and services, and updates. And anybody can view it at anytime… Though Full-time/Part-time job and making new artist moves is “the moves”.
As of recently, I bought myself a book on Marketing, and I have been reading to inner-stand, because I know I need some—a lot of—work with marketing right and branding my work properly. Therefore I am really going to do my best not to pressure myself into getting “it” perfect the first time, but work on perfecting more and more.
I’ll, again, do my best to keep you up to date, on my projects and events, and works. I’m thinking 1-2x monthly. Would you read it?
