Ashley Schriefer of Long Beach on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Ashley Schriefer . Check out our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Who are you learning from right now?
Honestly, I’m learning from the work itself. It takes time to really build yourself — to paint consistently and start feeling at home in what you’re making. So right now, I’m learning from showing up every day. From the process. From the mistakes. From the moments where the materials do something unexpected, and I have to respond instead of control. I’m learning from the gap between what I imagine and what actually shows up on the canvas.

And I’m learning from the silence too — the in-between spaces, when I’m not painting, but something is still shifting internally. There are artists I admire, of course, both contemporary and historical, but more than anyone else, I’m learning to trust my own rhythm. It’s slow, but it’s becoming more honest.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
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My name is Ashley Joan Schriefer, and I am a visual artist and educator whose work revolves around a concept I call The Gold Lining. Where the familiar “silver lining” often feels distant and cold, The Gold Lining is something bold, warm, and present—it’s not about waiting for light after the storm, but about finding and embodying it right in the middle of it.

Through ocean-inspired portraiture layered with gold spray paint and symbolic environments, I explore the invisible emotional weight we carry and the resilience that allows us to shine through turbulence. My work is rooted in the belief that strength, faith, and clarity are not things we chase but things we already hold within us.

This past summer, I debuted my first solo exhibition, The Gold Lining, at Artifact Projects Gallery in Manhattan. The show was a milestone moment—an opportunity to share my vision and connect deeply with viewers who found their own reflections of resilience in my work. While the exhibition has closed, The Gold Lining remains both my ongoing artistic philosophy and the foundation for new bodies of work I am developing, continuing to document the emotional tides that shape the human experience.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child, I believed that strength meant holding everything in and appearing unshaken—that to be “okay” meant hiding the messy, heavy parts of myself. Over time, I’ve let go of that belief. Now I know that strength isn’t about masking emotions but about facing them head-on and allowing them to exist. My work in The Gold Lining is rooted in that shift: honoring vulnerability as courage and seeing resilience not as pretending everything is fine, but as carrying light even when the storm is still raging.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me presence in a way success never could. When life feels stripped down, you see what truly matters—faith, love, resilience, and the quiet strength that carries you forward. Success is beautiful, but it can feel fleeting; suffering, on the other hand, anchors you. It showed me that even in the darkest moments, there is a light—what I now call The Gold Lining—that can’t be taken away. That lesson has become the foundation of my art and my life.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends would say that what really matters to me is connection—whether it’s through my art, teaching, or simply being present with the people I love. They know I care deeply about honesty, resilience, and finding beauty even in difficult moments. They’d probably tell you that I’m always chasing the ocean, always searching for meaning in experiences, and always reminding others to look for The Gold Lining, because it’s not just part of my work—it’s how I try to live.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope the story people tell about me is that I lived with courage, heart, and an unwavering belief in beauty—even in the middle of life’s storms. That I didn’t just paint portraits, but revealed the invisible layers of emotion we all carry. That I encouraged others to keep going, to find their own Gold Lining, and to believe that resilience is something already within them. More than anything, I hope people remember that I poured love into my art, my teaching, and my relationships—and that I left behind a light that continues to shine.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.ashleyjoanart.com
• Instagram: Ashleyjoan_art
• Facebook: Ashley Joan