ASHLEY STUART
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What is Nature Journaling? A brief overview of health benefits, preparing your own journal, and a nature book recommendation.

5/4/2025

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Cinque Terre nature journal entry by Ashley Stuart

What is nature journaling?

We may have a sense of what journaling is—the routine writing of thoughts and feelings for self-reflection or expression—though it can vary person-to-person. Nature journaling is similar, but focused on capturing individual experiences of small moments in nature and incorporating sketching, keepsakes, writing, and so on. We can keep these moments close and use them for creative inspiration later. 

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Aspiring Artists: Bright and Sassy Ostrich

4/18/2025

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Art is so noisy, but who knew? When I create and teach my mind is calm and quiet, so this process video is fascinating. This most recent class used acrylic paint to create some illustrative moody ostriches. Each person learned to paint with wet and dry brush techniques, how to use the brush bristles of various brushes to create desired effects and stroke sizes, and mixing primary colors to create the palette. Many giggles, a little frustration, and plentiful masterpieces.

​
Check out the class schedule for the next painting event and hope to see you soon!
video on Instagram
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Painting Party at Home

3/4/2025

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You can enjoy a painting party at home with just a few key items.

I've added a couple other favorite frills to make the painting experience more enjoyable and styled. Painting with others is a wonderful way to create memories or learn a new skill. Painting can be calming and therapeutic as well. A typical instructor-led painting event takes around 2 hours, but leaves plenty of time in between for sips, snacks, laughter, and fun. 


Click 'Read More' to create your checklist!

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Preparations for Paint & Sip September

9/24/2024

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Prints In Process

3/20/2024

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This morning was dedicated to online research of art communities in Anne Arundel County (AAC), MD. I came across a plethora of information, recommendations, resources, and opportunities that can only be attributed to the AAC and MD peoples love of the arts.

Now that we are more settled in our new home, I'm looking for opportunities to become more involved, as well as expand my art offerings through prints, exhibitions, events, and shops.

The Annapolis Arts District and the Annapolis Arts Alliance provided so many helpful resources, leading me to Wimsey Cove to explore digital art scanning, framing options, and fine art printing options. I snapped this photo during the measurement process. Owen was a great help and answered every question in detail and more!

Stay tuned for more updates.

xx
​
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Folk Tree Fabric

11/9/2023

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Original watercolor
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Paper Weaving

10/24/2023

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I made this paper while at university, so it's likely 18 years-old. I have kept it all of these years, partially because it was painstakingly made from artichoke pulp that I cooked down in my studio apartment, but partially because I knew it would be a part of something more beautiful one day. Such as carefully slicing then weaving delicately to create a rough pattern. The fibers were so brittle, but the effect of the layering is lovely.
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Color Theory in Painting

4/7/2021

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My style of painting in 2020 evolved from using pre-mixed palette to using a layering of primary colors (red, yellow, blue hues). I start with a blue for the shades and shape definition, adding then the lightest highlights with a yellow hue, and then finish with the mid-tone of (most-likely a watery) red.

I'm often torn at the beginning of each color application as I am drawn to monochrome paintings and the levels of tones and shades that can be achieved. I find monochrome calming and thoughtful.

​But then taking the same painting and adding a red and yellow hue overtop, look at the depth and excitement that happen! This has more energy and thought rapidity.
Blue monochrome painting of an English landscape.
First step in color application.
Original watercolor painting of an English landscape by Ashley Stuart
Finished painting with the red and yellow hues overlaid on the English landscape.
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Bird Feet Pattern

1/20/2021

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Bird footprints in the wet sand
Bird footprints that I found intriguing
Blue watercolor painting of the bird footprints
Watercolor footprints to be used for a pattern design
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Spoonflower
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Wash Exploration

9/14/2020

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Create a Virtual Exhibition for Your Artwork

8/28/2020

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Collectors will have the chance to browse the Just Beyond collection in a beautiful and modern virtual exhibition space. By using a computer mouse or keyboard arrows, one can "walk" through the space and view the artwork on the walls. 
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Creating this space was incredibly easy. After hatching the idea to digitally showcase my work in more than just a scrolling gallery page, a simple Google search and follow-on research led me to ArtSteps. This site is an incredible interface that offers templated spaces or a building and design option to customize your space.
I'll be reshooting my artwork this weekend (morning light has beens superb lately) and get my art into the virtual gallery in time for the Collectors-only pre-launch on September 4th. I'm considering one wing for the framed originals and one wing for giclée prints.

​If you build an exhibition, send me the link as I never turn down a gallery visit.
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Collection Work is Underway

8/15/2020

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The shop is closed as I focus all of my energies into preparing the Just Beyond collection. The shop will re-open on September 4th for The Collectors community only and September 6th for the public. If you would like to be added to the invitation-only private viewing of the latest collection, join The Collector community.
Add Your Name to the Invitation
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The life behind windows

7/21/2020

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Sketch of a hotel building across from my balcony in Honolulu, HI
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Window view in Bath, UK
I have always had an interest what lies behind windows: who lives there? why do they put certain belongings on display? what does this say about them? what do they hope it says? why do some people leave curtains open all night and others leave them closed all day?

My fascination started as a photography project in Charleston, SC. The primary focus was nighttime as the homes façade looked so different with various rooms lit. The project never took off as I really didn't want to walk the fine line between artist and creeper. But my fascination has remained. I've moved to sketches and, more recently, paintings. This sketch is from a trip to Honolulu, Hawai'i. A huge sky-rise hotel was situated across from our balcony and each morning and each evening I would study the life that was on display or wonder about the life that was hidden.

My latest IGTV Monday featured the first painted window – check it out. This was a window from a Georgian home in Bath, UK. It had the loveliest front garden, full of color and life. And my children's shoes on the seat matched the palette.
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Mother and Child Relationship

7/8/2020

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(Flow of consciousness entry) Exploring the qualities of the complex relationship between mother and child, in addition to the self (adult female and mother). My initial thoughts are to create representational shapes of the roles. How do they interact? How do they interpret each other? Maybe think magnets - cycle of repelling and drawing closer, repel, draw, repeat. What shape is a child? What shape is a female or a mother?
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Yesterday I took my children to Nene Park visitor centre where we each bought a drink: two apple juices and a coffee. As the girls played, I sketched the juice and coffee and maybe found my representational shapes: Rectangle and circle.

This morning at the coffee shop, following a call with a dear friend, I explored these shapes briefly. How does a female's body change throughout pregnancy? What shapes is she comprised of? What does it mean when one shape is forced into another shape, only to birth yet another shape? Sketches below.
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In response to a quick sketch exercise created, a friend mentioned 3-D glasses. This has stuck with me as I think through how this relationship would be best described or transcribed or created or... . The layering of two colors, the creation of another color where overlapped is quite representational of this relationship. Cyan and yellow, green? Magenta and yellow, orange? Is magenta associated with female too often? Would blue be too strong or infer different meaning? Could I use ink? Watercolor? Screen print? My brain is completely overflowing right now! More to come.
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Inspired By: louise Bourgeois

7/7/2020

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"Bourgeois uses the spider, both predator (a sinister threat) and protector (an industrious repairer), to symbolise the mother figure." ​
Tate, The Art of Louise Bourgeois, accessed July 8, 2020, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/louise-bourgeois-2351/art-louise-bourgeois.

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Maman, 1999, Bilboa Spain
I am in the yellow on the right, trying to be brave and touch the sculpture. It didn't work.
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Spider, 1997, Washington DC
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Nearly under Maman, heart pounding.
I first learned of Louise Bourgeois in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Gardens in Washington, DC. This was in our pre-kids era and we used to go for jazz and sangria on hot summer nights, dipping our toes in the pond. Wandering through the gardens, my intense fear of spiders kept me from one of the most fascinating interpretations of the "mother". It wasn't until I visited the Bilbao Guggenheim that I really felt a connection with these sculptures (still couldn't touch them though) and the artist Louise Bourgeois.

​Quietly exploring her exhibition space along, my husbands rocking our sleeping one year-old, I realized some of my negative feelings and experiences toward "Hollywood" motherhood were being validated in an unexpected and pleasing way. Even now, thinking back, I'm not sure I can put the experience into words; I just remember the experience being quiet and loud, and eerie and comforting, simultaneously. To say the very least, it was unforgettable.
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  • About
    • About Ashley
    • Services & Capabilities
    • Art Classes
  • Shop
    • For the Home
    • For the Studio
    • For the Walls >
      • Art Prints
      • Canvas Art Prints
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    • Collage Art
    • Painting
    • Illustration
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  • Contact