ABSTRACT ART WITH NEW MEDIA exhibition artist | SORABELLA J
Although her creative journey began with fashion, painting is where she learned to open up and explore her own feminine psyche. She only paints orbs and shapes making the female figure. There is something so alluring, sensual, and visually exciting about curved lines. Her obsession with orbs can be drawn from one of her pieces titled Imperfection.
Ashley comes from a large family of matriarchs. Growing up poor in Baltimore, with a very stressed, single mother and 6 other siblings in the house, she often went unseen and unheard. As a child, Ashley had no voice, but she had a plethora of anger. Her father and grandmother have artistic backgrounds, so her talent is inherent. Becoming a mother at age 17, Ashley’s plans to attend The Art Institute of California were cancelled, as she could not fathom leaving her young child with her mother to go learn. She began studying Fashion Design at BCCC. During her time there, her love for sketching fashion died, The freedom to create was shunted by the teachers’ requirements. She dropped out of BCCC with one semester until her degree. While working for Starbucks, in her young adult years, the anger and confusion of direction became too much. So, she studied Buddhism and began her licensure of Massage Therapy. In this new-found calmness, it was yet another movie which inspired her first painting. It wasn’t original, but it was pretty. When she realized painting soothes her and allows her to create in broader ways than fashion, Ashley decided this was her love. Now, mother of four, Ashley is currently a Birth and Postpartum doula, helping mothers birth safely. No matter where life takes her, no matter what new skills obtained, Ashley will always be an Artist first.
