Meet Ash Evans

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ash Evans a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ash , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

For context, I have always been drawn to art and being creative since I was very young. However, I was told time and again that it could not be considered a career, that I would starve, or that I needed to do something else instead.

I wasted a lot of time and opportunity in my younger years trying to do something, anything else, because I had very little support for art as a career. Even my school guidance counselor didn’t want me to go to an arts college (now that may have more to do with the fact that it was a blue ribbon school and they just really wanted something flashier to brag about) So I flailed around a lot, tried vetrinary care (had to quit because of too much radiation) and a hand full of other jobs that could have been careers but frankly I was really unhappy. When the people around you want you to be more successful than happy, you postpone fulfillment. I was too young to realize that it really didn’t matter what other people thought about what I did.

I started to pursue art full-time in my late 20s at the encouragement of my then-fiancé, now husband. It wasn’t perfect or easy, but I was a lot happier doing what I loved, and knowing it was my purpose in life came a lot later on. At a convention packed with people, a sweet lady told me she looked at my art when she went in for chemotherapy and had been battling and beat cancer. . That thunderclap moment made me realize what I did mattered, who I was, and what I had to say brought joy. All I ever want to do is make people happy with my work, and I was already in my purpose doing just that. Joy is a crucial element to the life experience, and it fosters one of the most powerful feelings on earth: Hope.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Hi, I am Ash Evans! I am an East Coast-based (USA) artist and designer. I am currently a one-woman show. In addition to creating both traditional and digital paintings, I also design unique toys, apparel accessories, statuary, and other gift items. I love the creative process behind both of these different but complementary skill sets. My favorite things are black cats and Halloween. I also have a passion for character-driven design. I would love to develop my personal characters further in the future.

In 2007, I began my art career, starting in watercolor and oil painting and then expanding into mixed media works. Soon I was licensing my images, and through that experience I gained knowledge in the manufacturing process. I insisted on being very hands-on and would only sign contracts that gave me tight control and approvals. One of my first big licenses was for resin statuary. We did a run of 6 designs, and they did so well they wanted to expand rapidly. Unfortunately, the company took a financial hit, and the second series was canceled even though we had already done the rendered designs and prototypes. The company decided to generously give me the molds and the access to the manufacturers and said I could do them myself if I wished. It was a big swing, but I went for it. That process got me hooked on product design and manufacturing, and I am entering my 18th year of overseas manufacturing experience.

I am most known for my cat art and Halloween designs. I really do enjoy painting felines (I have many rescue kitties, most of them all black) and have a background in vet med. I find fur, feathers, and scales much more interesting texturally than human skin. I have a weird obsession with painting black fur. Most people aren’t big fans of that, but there is something in the way you can play with it and how the light reacts to it that I find very calming. They are my living drapery studies, I think. I am very interested in animal anatomy and putting creatures in whimsical situations.

I am obsessed with midcentury art and design and am currently studying it. I kind of try and have it all when it comes to creating. I feel like with art I get to make things of beauty, and with design I get to make whimsical things you can use. So much art is don’t touch! Design lets people hold the things I am creating and have them be a part of their everyday life, and I think that is really special. Having a split focus can cause whiplash with some people, but for me it lets me explore different things I wouldn’t normally do if I was focused solely on painting.

This year was really rocky if I am honest, I spent a lot of it just surviving the torrent of changes in regards to tariffs and imports and a lot of things that were in development had to be put on hold. In 2026 I will be focusing all of my efforts into some very sizable projects, including my first tarot deck. It will have a witchy black cat theme. I like the challenge of interpreting something so well known in a new way and by the sheer size of the project itself. 78 images is no small thing, that is for sure. I also feel like there are so many decks out there that I personally should not speak unless I can improve upon the silence, so I am taking my time before throwing myself into the project. I want things to be accurate and interesting and to have my own style.

I also hope to expand my plush toy and bag designs after the tariffs stabilize a bit, I took a huge pause on products in 2025 and really missed working on bringing tangible useful things to my fans.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Consistency: Just getting in the habit of showing up every day, rain or shine, if you want to or not will absolutely put you a step above the rest. Waiting to be inspired is not conducive to a productive working artists success. Art school hammers that into you pretty well because you need to be in class working every day. Consistency will get you a portfolio that looks like the same person did it and set you up for success.

Strong foundation in basics: knowledge of drawing, light, shadow and anatomy will put you in a great starting position. There is a reason the fundamentals are taught first. I had to shad SO many eggs before I even touched color and I am better for it.

A business plan, education and sticking to it: So many artists seem to be absolutely unable to manage the business side of their life and it puts them in a terrible position where someone can prey upon them or get them into trouble with contracs. Understand how to run a basic business.,Understand independent health insurance and how much it will cost for you. Learn how to update and maintain website and have a plan before you just decide you are going to be a full time artist. This is a gradual process not a I quit one day and everything is great. PLEASE set aside money for emergencies and retirement!

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I am always looking for new collaborative design and art projects with people/companies that match my design aesthetic or personal interests. I do license my images and I also make custom art for companies. I have in the past worked with small perfume companies, tart decks, animal rescues and other artists to do some fun and creative things. I work from home, I am on my own a lot and I do like the challenge and fresh ideas collaborative projects. You end up meeting the most interesting people and bouncing ideas around really shakes off any stagnation I get from being a one woman echo chamber. Partnerships and collabs are something on my 2026 bucket list so please reach out if you think I’m a good fit for a project. I will say however I no longer do personal, private commissions I find them to be a little too restrictive to my creative process.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

All images are owned/taken by myself. Toy faire photo credit to Johnnie Evans for taking the selfie.

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