Articulating Ashley
I know writing a short on an artist located in Westfield, Wisconsin is kind of pushing the envelope on the Driftless Area, but technically it is on the far Eastern edge.
Recently, a friend of mine posted a photo on her Facebook page of an amazing piece of art, a kind of 3-D’ish nature scene with birch trees painted on a re-purposed window, and accented with mini LED lights. Although having attended many a Cranfest in Warrens, WI, I had never seen a piece like this there, nor anywhere else.
I contacted my friend and asked her who created the beautiful window painting. She obliged and told me about an artist in Westfield, by the name of Ashley May. My pursuit ensued of Ashley’s story, and well, she is amazing in her own right.
Ashley was always drawing, doodling, and coloring as a kid. At most times she could be found somewhere in a corner by herself with crayons and a coloring book. As a teenager, she wrote a lot. “I wrote a lot of poems, and I doodled. My grandfather painted signs like business signs, large scale, in Fort Atkinson all of his life. My other grandfather painted and did woodworking. I had a lot of people in my family who did artwork too.” Ashley said.
See, at 16 Ashley had a beautiful son, and after that, being a mom was her focus and didn’t leave her time for anything else for years. She was always working two jobs and trying to live her life.
Ashley’s sister Nicole May, three years ago, invited her to a paint night in Wisconsin Rapids, a sort of gathering where people come together to paint a scene, idea or object in their rendition. “As soon as I painted that night, I not only enjoyed it, but I knew right away I could blend well and that painting felt natural.”
So, it began, Ashley bought supplies soon after and started to paint. “I painted for a year just for myself, dinking around whenever I had time, painting stuff for friends or family. A year after I started painting, I started selling my paintings.”, she said with a smile.
Eventually, Ashley created a Facebook page called “Articulating Ashley” and said, “I’m always a sucker for a good name, as that draws a lot of people in.” She said that her page encompasses a lot of things, because she loves to write as well. “I’d love to publish poems someday. I have notebooks full of them. As soon as I made the page on Facebook, I started selling my art and that really ignited me.”
The response she received on her art work on Articulating Ashley ultimately fueled her drive to create more pieces. “I haven’t said no to any order. I don’t know I can do the thing until I do the thing. Obviously, some things take longer. I’ve grown a lot in two years, which is crazy. I surprise myself all the time. It’s exciting! It motivates me all the time to do more,” she said.
“I enjoy it (painting) immensely. While I’m doing it, it reminds me of my grandpa Richard (Dickey) May. He had the coolest basement. Everything smelled like paint and poly. It was mysterious. His work-space was the coolest thing. I’d be so excited, even just to watch him!”, she exclaimed.
Her grandfather Dickey had a typewriter in his workplace, and Ashley would type her little stories on it while he was working. Unfortunately, Dicky passed away when she was a young teenager. “That was before I even knew what I could do,” she said solemnly.
In addition to her grandfather, Ashley’s mother and two of her uncles are artists as well. It seems that artistic ability runs in the family, with one generation encouraging the next.
When creating a piece Ashley admitted that 90% of the time, she never sketches what she will paint first. “I just go straight to painting. I feel a very serious kinship with paint. I’d love to get into oil paint when I have a better area to do it in my own studio. That takes more time and supplies, but I love oil paints,” she said.
Ashley favors working with acrylics, but is always open to using other paints, and is looking to expand her art into tattoos. “I’ll always paint. I’d love to do tattoos someday and more writing.”
Having spent many years writing poems she said, “A lot of the poem writing was fueled by sadness. Getting away and articulating my feelings, even if no one ever read them. They were for me, but painting is my way when I’m a happier person. Honestly, I think it makes me happier, but also, it’s just different.”
Ashley has had her share of struggles though, one that would see her battle illnesses. “See I have Chrohn’s, and I got fired from my job because I couldn’t come back from a medical leave. I had a bowel surgery, and I have Lupus too. That was right before my sister took me to that painting class. That was in August and she took me to the paint night at the end of October for my birthday. My health has gotten better and better since, so I feel like feeling better is motivation. Sitting and writing is one thing, but my hands would be locked up when I woke up in the morning. I’m thankful that I am feeling better, because I don’t think I would have been able to get where I am,” she said.
Ashley’s biggest fan and supporter would be her husband Steve. He takes care of their children when she does her artwork, maintaining a sort of calm that allows her to express herself without interruption. “I just try to be supportive. I think that is my biggest role. Trying to keep the kids at bay so she can get some stuff done, grabbing supplies when I’m on my way home from work to keep her from having to go out of the house. I do some basic woodwork for her from time to time,” Steve said. He also shared they work as a team on some projects. “We do signs and carvings. I do a lot of the routering. Any time she needs anything cut or something like that, I try to do that. She’s kind of scared of the saws,” he said with a laugh.
Ashley said, “We need to clean our garage to have a work-space. We are hoping to buy a house in the next few months so we can have an area.” Steve added, “I’d like to have a home business where we have a shop to do woodworking and furniture too.”
When asked how Articulating Ashley is progressing today Ashley said, “I know, especially for the area, that I do pretty well. I have a pretty good customer base. I do everything original. I don’t do prints. I also try to make it affordable for the area, so you feel like you can have nice art without it costing so much. I understand that, in context of supplies and the time it takes, but my speed also helps me to make a profit. I’ve never looked to get rich. I enjoy it. I can do it at home and raise my kids at the same time. It’s a win win for me. I pull in enough business, just from Facebook and buy, sell, trade sites that are free. I don’t even have a website because I’m not technology-oriented whatsoever. It’s all been extra income. It’s nice to have. I lived poor my entire life, so this is the best I have been doing my entire life. It surprises me whenever someone takes interest. I’m my biggest critic. I’m happy to be doing it and that people enjoy it. I love art and always have. I’m always looking at everything, it all is beautiful, especially nature.”
For more information on Ashley’s art, visit Articulating Ashley on Facebook.
