Ashlynn Browning

Illustration by Kristen Solecki

Artist Ashlynn Browning captivates us with her art:

How much of your art represents who you are?

I often think about my work as being 50% autobiographical and 50% just about the adventurous act of painting itself. So much of what’s going on in my life at any given time makes its way into the work. I can see when I look back with some perspective, and the paintings always serve as a visual journal. I see love and loss, grief, anxiety, joy and longing. The emotions are always there in an ambiguous way that may be felt through color choices or brushwork, and sometimes in a more literal, direct way, such as a specific image or pattern that was prevalent in my life. Aside from the personal aspects, the work is also about PAINT, and all the mysterious, visceral, amazing things it can do. The dialogue I have with each piece, the push and pull of responding to the direction a painting tells me it wants to go....that’s a huge part of my process and my philosophy in the studio.

Do accidents play any role when you work?

Accidents are everything in my work. I feel like I stumble and bumble my way into every single painting, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.The journey of the process is really my main driver. I never make a plan or study for a piece before I begin, so every single time it’s a new adventure with no roadmap. It’s strange, because in everyday life I tend to be much more controlled and not a fan of change, but in the studio, the wilder the better. Often it’s the risks and accidents that propel growth and new ideas. Things get a little tighter and more calculated toward the end of a painting, once I’m invested and know that more is at stake. I still try to keep that sense of freedom there though, and remember that if everything goes to hell at the end, it can still rise from the ashes.

Does it matter to you if your art sells?

I mean, who doesn’t like to make some money doing the thing they love? That being said, I always put the authenticity of the work far before any notions of commercial appeal. The idea of something selling is never in my mind when I’m working in the studio, and honestly, it’s a welcome surprise when someone “gets” the work and feels a kinship with it that makes them want to own a piece. I make my paintings to fulfill a personal aesthetic that feels real and true to me. When that expression strikes a chord with a viewer, I’m thrilled, but it’s less about the money and more about making that strong connection with an outside person.

What is the first step in your creative process?

I begin every painting with just putting down a wash of color. This color might be inspired by what I’m wearing that day, by an image or memory in my mind, my mood at the moment, or sometimes simply by the first dirty paintbrush I grab. Next comes a simple line drawing that is usually of geometric forms. The first few layers of a piece have a wonderful freedom to them, because I know things are just getting started. New layers will come and go, be added, scraped down, edited out. Nothing is there to stay necessarily, so there’s an “anything goes” approach that can trigger some exciting moves.

How does living in the Triangle affect your art, if at all?

I’m a NC native, raised in Charlotte, and I’ve lived in the Triangle for over 20 years. I really love it here. I’m not sure the environment affects my work in a direct, tangible way, but more in an overall lifestyle manner. I feel like I have plenty of access to art, culture, good museums and restaurants, but also nature, parks and affordable (for now!) living and studio space. Also, there are so many talented artists living here and in NC in general, so there is ample opportunity for great artist friendships, studio visits, critiques, and group exhibitions. The Triangle is going through such crazy growth now, and I really hope it can hold onto all the things that make it special and desirable as it scales up.

The color pink is a theme in your work. What’s the significance there?

Yes, I use pink a lot. There’s really not a shade of it I haven’t tried. When I use it, I’m not thinking about the surface level feminine connotations of the color necessarily, but rather am referencing flesh, flowers, meat...sensual, tactile things. I’m also using pink within an art historical context, with a nod to painters I love like Willem de Kooning and Philip Guston.

How do we buy your art?

I show with several galleries in the Southeast: if ART Gallery in Columbia, SC, whitespace in Atlanta, GA and Hodges Taylor Gallery, in Charlotte, NC. People are also welcome to peruse Instagram and message me with interest in available work, or set up a studio visit appointment at my studio in downtown Raleigh to come check out things in person.