Meet Ashley Huff

 

We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Huff recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley, 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.

Discovering my purpose can be traced back to when I was very young, right when I was able to hold a crayon or pencil. I definitely did not realize it at the time, but I was destined to be an artist.

Growing up, I was extremely shy, so much so I would barely speak to anyone besides my immediate family members. For whatever reason, starting conversations, making friends, and accomplishing tasks in front of others was absolutely terrifying to me. Art became a type of release for me, as it was a way I could express myself without having to use words. It was my lifeline.

My parents took notice of my passion for art, and began putting me in extracurricular art classes from a young age. This only fueled my love for fine art even further. As I grew up, I started to come out of my shell and become less shy. When I was 13, I took a realistic portrait drawing class. It was in that season that I began to take art seriously, desiring for it to become my career.

I continued art classes through high school, and it ended up being what I studied at Dallas Baptist University. I graduated in May of 2024 with a Bachelor’s in Studio Art and a minor in Entrepreneurship. While refining my artistic talents in college, and with the guidance of my esteemed professors, I truly came to believe that becoming a professional artist was what I was destined to do. I have become very well-versed in numerous art mediums, some of which include oil, watercolor, pastels, charcoal, and graphite. I am no longer as shy as I once was, but I still actively use art to express myself.

I create artwork that is elegant and meaningful. It is my desire that my work brings joy and peace to all who view it, to stir something beautiful within the depths of their souls. I wish to be the Michelangelo of my generation, that my work will inspire others for years to come. I hope to bring a little bit of light and God’s glory back into this complicated and ever-changing world.

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

I’m a Studio Artist with a passion for realism. I primarily specialize in oil painting and watercolor, but I dabble in other mediums, such as charcoal, pastels, and graphite. It is my desire to create elegant works of art that provide joy and meaning to the viewer. I do a lot of custom commission work, where clients will come to me with their specific vision in mind, and I bring it to life visually. Some of my most popular subject matter are pet portraits, landscapes, house illustrations, and family portraits. In addition to original commissions, I also sell my other original works of art, fine art prints, and greeting cards on my website: www.ashleyhuffart.design.

The most exciting thing about my job is when a piece of my art finds its forever home. It is beautiful to see how certain works speak to certain clients, and why that specific painting or drawing is so meaningful to them. The stories are what make it all worth it. I recently met someone at an Art Festival in McKinney, Texas who purchased my painting of a fox, titled, “Mr. Brightside”. She told me that their house had recently burned down. and they lost all their belongings. Her daughter’s spirit animal is a fox, and as soon as she saw my painting available, she knew it would be the perfect artwork to place in her daughter’s new room. Making connections with people and hearing their stories are what make my job all worth it.

While I have a lot of clients and participate in various Art Shows within the DFW area, I am expanding up into Oklahoma City and hope to eventually do some shows in other neighboring states as well! My work can be shipped nationally, so if you are not local, you can still inquire about commissions or purchase originals/prints via my website or social platforms.

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?

Looking back on how far I have come as an artist, I would recommend these three things:
First, have patience. You cannot become a good artist overnight. Even though I graduated with an art degree and am pursuing art as a career, I am still learning every single day. It takes time to develop your skill, so do not be discouraged if you are just starting out. It takes 10,000 hours of dedicated practice to become an expert in your field. I still have a long way to go!

Second: Comparison is the thief of joy. A little bit of competition is healthy as an artist, as it inspires you to grow and become better. Plus, seeing the work of others can help you learn new techniques. However, constantly comparing your work to others, can oftentimes steal your happiness, making you feel. inadequate, dissatisfied, and unworthy. Do not be discouraged seeing another artist’s success! Everyone is on their own path. There are great things in store for you, you just need to keep refining your craft and be patient.

Third: Do not underestimate the importance of reading about your craft. Whether it is related to art or not, learning about your desired career path is so beneficial to becoming better! While yes, learning by experience is extremely helpful and necessary, reading books about famous artists and their techniques can aid you so much! Asking for guidance from a mentor or another artist who is more experienced than you is also a wonderful way to gain firsthand knowledge on improving your craft.

My advice for these is to take it one step at a time, you cannot achieve all these things quickly! Enjoy and cherish the journey as you refine your talents and skills as an artist.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

I am flexible and can work with any sort of client. However, it is helpful when they connect with my specific art style and have a strong appreciation for the fine arts. They should be positive, communicative, and understand the concepts behind my artwork.
When it comes to creating a custom piece of art, it is helpful for the client to have some sort of vision of what they are looking for! It can be loose or extremely detailed, either way I can work with it, often offering ideas and aiding them in coming up with a beautiful composition.

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