Ashley Stuart
(BFA Graphic Design Ohio University; 200-hr RYT)
Ashley Stuart is a painter, illustrator, and collage artist. Her artwork is inspired by the comforts and patterns of nature. Each piece describes Ashley's relationship with her focus yet remains relatable to others. She celebrate color, pattern, warmth, and joy throughout the collections. Ashley founded the shop in Cambridgeshire, UK though currently creates from a home studio in Maryland, USA. Her artworks can be found in private collections in the USA, UK, and Spain.
With a world revolving around art since a young age, Ashley studied graphic design at university and created a long career as an in-house and freelance senior designer, design educator, and entrepreneur. The design background has led to pattern designing, where a selection of artworks are available as homewares and gifts, and also featured as soft furnishings at her sister shop on Spoonflower.
With a world revolving around art since a young age, Ashley studied graphic design at university and created a long career as an in-house and freelance senior designer, design educator, and entrepreneur. The design background has led to pattern designing, where a selection of artworks are available as homewares and gifts, and also featured as soft furnishings at her sister shop on Spoonflower.
E X H I B I T I O N S
2020 – 2021 Restart Peterborough Exhibition
Peterborough Museum Art Gallery; Peterborough, UK
2006 Graphic Design BFA Exhibition
Siegfred Hall Gallery; Athens, OH
2004 Systems & Color Exhibition
House Gallery; Athens, OH
Peterborough Museum Art Gallery; Peterborough, UK
2006 Graphic Design BFA Exhibition
Siegfred Hall Gallery; Athens, OH
2004 Systems & Color Exhibition
House Gallery; Athens, OH
A W A R D S
2016 Communicator Award
Rebranded EMILY’s List donor brochure design
2014 Communicator Award
EMILY’s List donor brochure design, and
Linemark marketing brochure design
2013 Communicator Award
Host Hotels recruitment brochure design
2012 GALA Awards
Brookfield Homes DC website design, and
Beechtree Homes advertisement design
Rebranded EMILY’s List donor brochure design
2014 Communicator Award
EMILY’s List donor brochure design, and
Linemark marketing brochure design
2013 Communicator Award
Host Hotels recruitment brochure design
2012 GALA Awards
Brookfield Homes DC website design, and
Beechtree Homes advertisement design
e x p e r i e n c e
2 0 2 4 – Present
Art Instructor; Fort Meade, MD
2 0 2 4
Ceramics; Clay Coven in Savage, MD
2 0 2 0 – 2 0 2 1
Watercolor; Stamford Contemporary Arts in Stamford, UK
2 0 1 5
Ceramics; Hills Road Sixth Form in Cambridge, UK
2 0 0 7 – 2 0 1 6
Professional graphic design career at various positions.
2 0 0 6 – 2 0 0 7
Papermaking
Autopsical Art
Graphic Design Senior Studio
Ancient Architecture
Media
Painting
2 0 0 5 – 2 0 0 6
Serigraphy
Graphic Design Junior Studio
20th Century Art History
Advanced Printmaking
Graphic Design Topics
Mass Communications
2 0 0 4 – 2 0 0 5
History of Art II and III
Drawing: Process and Synthesis
Ceramics II
Graphic Design Principles
Typography
Lithography
Design Form and Content
Media I
2 0 0 3 – 2 0 0 4
Descriptive Drawing
Drawing: System and Color
Photography
History of Art I
2 0 0 2 – 2 0 0 3
Three-dimensional studies
Art Instructor; Fort Meade, MD
2 0 2 4
Ceramics; Clay Coven in Savage, MD
2 0 2 0 – 2 0 2 1
Watercolor; Stamford Contemporary Arts in Stamford, UK
2 0 1 5
Ceramics; Hills Road Sixth Form in Cambridge, UK
2 0 0 7 – 2 0 1 6
Professional graphic design career at various positions.
2 0 0 6 – 2 0 0 7
Papermaking
Autopsical Art
Graphic Design Senior Studio
Ancient Architecture
Media
Painting
2 0 0 5 – 2 0 0 6
Serigraphy
Graphic Design Junior Studio
20th Century Art History
Advanced Printmaking
Graphic Design Topics
Mass Communications
2 0 0 4 – 2 0 0 5
History of Art II and III
Drawing: Process and Synthesis
Ceramics II
Graphic Design Principles
Typography
Lithography
Design Form and Content
Media I
2 0 0 3 – 2 0 0 4
Descriptive Drawing
Drawing: System and Color
Photography
History of Art I
2 0 0 2 – 2 0 0 3
Three-dimensional studies
A Day Measured in Cuppas
When living in the UK, a favorite read was "The Simple Things" and in each magazine was a featured artist's day in cups of tea. This is a lovely way to explore a day in the life and thought it would be fun to join in.
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5:30am My first cup of the day is a french press coffee with almond milk. On a chilly day I like to have full milk instead. We live in Maryland now and our home backs up to the woods. Some mornings I'll have my coffee outside, listening to the birds or watching squirrels scamper. Sometimes I'll have the occasional hello from the local does.
7:30am After the first cup, school run errands and chores are rampant. But once the children are dropped off, I come home to another cup of coffee or re-heat the first cup (busy mom life). I settle into the office and check emails and similar.
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8:00am The house is now quiet and business begins. Emails checked and lists made for the day. The sun shines through the back of the house and gives a wonderful light.
10:30am My first cuppa is during the initial stages of creation. It is almost certainly going to be an Earl Grey, although I've been known to have an herbal remedy on creative-block days. Some days I'm sketching, painting, crafting, or some similar type of creating. Other days I'm sat at the computer updating the shop, arranging meetings, or doing research. Being an artist is just like any other job I suppose! We moved to Maryland in 2023 and I find myself homesick (even though I am from the US). The smell of bergamot brings lovely memories and the shop in a way helps to cure and ground me again into our new home.
We lived in Peterborough, UK when I founded this shop in April 2020. It's a wonderful city in the Midlands with a vibrant cultural scene, a stunning cathedral in the pedestrian downtown, and villages on the outskirts in the rolling countryside hills. I worked in a corner of the house where the windows met perpendicularly, so the desk was flooded with light. There was a climbing rose bush outside and small tits would flit in and feast. Such happy memories! |
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3:00pm Another cup of coffee is definitely in order. But this time it will be a very quick one as the children have just arrived home from school. I enjoy a Nescafe Gold instant with almond milk. At this point in the day I'm reviewing homework and answering questions such as, "Do germs have birthdays?" while catching up on emails and social media messages and finishing up any loose ends for the day. I usually then work a little after dinner until it's time for the kid's nightly routine.
8:30pm After making my children warm milk and nutmeg for their final cuppa, I like to unwind the day with an herbal drink, namely peppermint or chamomile. At this point the shop is closed, but the mind is not. At times I even dream about new artwork or patterns. |