ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: January 2024

Ashley has been creating since childhood, exploring many different mediums from visual to performing arts. She earned a BA in Music at the University of Redlands, and in her senior year, took her first painting class which sparked a new passion on her journey. Ashley’s biggest  inspiration behind her artwork is nostalgia, from her childhood and in general from a time that no longer exists anymore. The ability to bring that playfulness and joy out through her artwork and share that with the world is a lot of fun and also allows her to explore what it is like to  preserve history and the feelings of the past. One of the first reasons that Ashley began delving into the visual arts was a way to heal from traumas and to work through these feelings in a new way. She was previously involved in music and theater and so many other activities, but visual arts became a way for her to unload all the rules and regulations and allow herself to explore who she really is.

Ashley began participating in the arts community in Riverside about two years ago, from setting up at the Riverside Art & Music Festival in the fall to Riverside Artswalk. She has also participated in events throughout the Inland Empire, such as in San Bernardino Redlands and  Wrightwood. Riverside’s arts community won Ashley over because, from the moment she stepped foot in Riverside, she was able to exhibit her artwork. She sees how much this community loves arts and culture and was swept away by it. Artists of any caliber can find opportunities to participate in events and grow as artists, and it is also a great community for artists to get to know each other.    

 For more information, visit Ashley on IG  @artbyashleywright or https://www.ashleywrightart.com/