Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashley Dougherty. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ashley, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
During Covid is when I started to paint. I always was into art, but never took it to seriously. Covid forced me to stay inside and to reflect an awul lot. I needed something new, a hobby, to get me through the days. So I started painting portraits of random people that would catch my eye on Instagram. One of my first portraits, was of a man by the name of Soho George from SOHO London. A few days after sharing and tagging my portrait on Instagram, George’s personal tailor contacted me and asked if he could purchase the portrait to give to George. I would have never imagined that one of my portraits would be going to London! A few months go by and I paint a portrait of Daniel Johnston, which led to my interaction with Lee Foster of Electric Lady Studios. He contacted me, wanting to purchase four of my portraits. As time went on, more and more of these great connections continued and that is what helped me find my purpose. They made me think “Hey, maybe I’m not that bad.”
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I paint the peculiar, the enticing and maybe someone you forgot about. I love people. I love music. I love fashion. Mash them altogether and you have my art. My portraits were never intended to be sold. I have a full-time job and I paint for fun. I’ll never make painting “my job.” I’m not into doing art shows or hanging my portraits in museums, I’d much rather be behind the scenes. Making portraits that make people smile.
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?
Number one: Staying humble. Sometimes too much attention can change a person. Always remember where you started and who was with you when you did. Number two: Give credit where credit is deserved. Every artist deserves credit. Number three: Don’t let it turn into a job. Just have fun. Once it isn’t fun anymore, what’s the point?
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
I can handle criticism a lot better. Thankfully, I don’t get to much hate, but there have been times when I would question my capabilities because of someone else’s opinion. Now I soak it in and use it as fuel to do even better.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artpal.com/abrslr
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abrslr/
Image Credits
Fred Eltringham
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
