by Joseph Mays
Ashley Smith is a senior Art major at Valdosta State University, and plans to graduate in May of this year with a BFA. She is originally from Atlanta, but lived in Saint Simes Island for the majority of her life. When it comes to her creative process, Smith says that she usually starts off with a base concept. Next, she chooses her media based off what would work best with the specific idea. From there, she makes sketches that will guide her in the actual creation of her piece. Sometimes, however, for certain works, it may be in her favor to choose her media beforehand. Smith also notes that if the work is graphic design related, there may be times where the sketching process is digital rather that the old-fashioned pencil and paper. There also may be instances where the work is for a client, meaning it will be less personal to you, causing you to have to remove yourself from the work itself to an extent. In situations like this, Smith says that she still tries to incorporate themes that are a part of her style. Ashley Smith is greatly influenced by Hosanna Rubio, a metalsmith, whom Smith says incorporates moths and bone structures into much of her work, something that she often does herself. Along with concept, Smith is also fond of the way Rubio approaches her work in general.
Smith sees death as a “timely conclusion rather than an abrupt end.” She feels that death is seen as a taboo topic nowadays so she uses symbols of death, mostly from nature, to ease into the conversation. “If you’re going to talk about death, it is essential to talk about life first,” Smith says when explaining her reasoning behind much of her work. “To speak about the end (death) before we actually get there would be incomplete” she says, which is why life itself is also a focal point in some of her work. Often times, Smith uses her work to either describe and/or accentuate her own personal experiences.
The Days That Followed is a silkscreen piece that shows an older male sitting alone at a table, specifically in a dining room. The man shown is actually Smith’s grandfather and if you look closely you can see a faint outline of a person sitting across from the table. This faintness is Smith’s nana. The concept around this piece is the grief that is carried by her grandfather after the passing of his wife, Smith’s nana. Memento Mori is a digital animation that also focuses on the concept of death. In the short clip we see a moth sitting on an insect zapper, and as it flies off another insect comes and lands on the object. Upon making contact with it, the insect is zapped and falls to the ground. The moth shown is the death’s-head hawkmoth which is known for having a skull-like image on its back. This specific insect is used a lot in pop culture to represent death and Smith says that in order to live, we must remember that life will end. The fly getting zapped at the end adds comic relief and represents a way for people to ease into the topic of death.
Come Undone is a woodcut piece that is personal to Smith because it conceptually portrays a medical condition known as cleft lip, a condition in which an opening or split in the upper lip occurs during the facial development of an unborn baby. Smith was born with cleft lip and has had multiple surgeries to correct it. She once had a dream that those surgeries were undone, which inspired this elevated piece that is supposed to show the many transformations that take part within our lives. About 1-in-700 people are born with cleft lip, making it rather common, yet not many people talk about it. Smith hopes this piece can spark conversation surrounding the condition.
Lastly, Protect Me From The Past is a mixed media piece done with copper, enamel, and textiles. It is said that birthmarks represent how you died in the past life. This piece is done in the shape of a shoulder pad that can sit on one’s shoulder, the place of Smith’s birthmark. This formed metal has the life cycle of a beetle across it, an insect that represents rebirth, which should in turn help one to live. On the inside there are embroideries that make the metal comfortable to sit upon one’s shoulder. Psychopomps, creatures that can move between life and death, are another important part of this piece.
In today’s society, discussions revolving around death are often frowned upon. Ashley Smith understands this and, through her work, creates pieces that can be used as activators to open up the discussion about an such an inevitable topic.
Joseph Mays is a Bachelor of Art Student at Valdosta State University. With a focus in graphic design, Joseph’s passion for art and design has grown over the years and plans to graduate and pursue a career in the art field.