Ashley D. Pierce

Ashley D. Pierce

Ashley D. Pierce is a Columbus based mixed media artist and muralist. Pierce creates characters and scenes from what she describes as an invisible world hidden just beneath a thin film of our reality. She creates work that causes the viewer to pause and look closer both through technique and imagery. This unique and narrative style invites and encourages the viewer to create their own story and dialog with each piece.

 

Pierce’s unmistakable style is most often seen on wood panel. Using watercolor and allowing the grain to show through, she then carves into the wood with a Dremel tool, sometimes adding additional details with a wood burner. This offers an unexpected surprise that is not always noticed at first glance. Sculpture pieces often have hidden elements in them that have been inspired through public engagement and her mural work has ties to the environment and communities they were created for.  Pierce not only creates visually successful works, but also creates them thoughtfully and with purpose.

 

From 2007 until June 2020 Pierce filled various roles including Studio Director, Marketing Director and Art Facilitator at a non-profit organization in Central Ohio serving adults with physical and developmental disabilities. The experience produced a unique perspective on how art benefits and connects people and Pierce is passionate about sharing that as a full time artist.

 

Pierce’s work has been shown in exhibitions nationally including Chicago and New York. She was a featured artist in the show “New Horizons- Self Taught Art of the 20th Century” at the Hickory Museum of Art in North Carolina. She has also served as a juror for several art shows and volunteers with non-profit art galleries and organizations. Pierce is passionate about mentoring other artists and enjoys sharing her work and experience with others.