Meet Ashley McFadden | Illustrator, Painter, Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley McFadden and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Effective engagement and full control over who or what I work with ultimately guided me to start my business as a full-time Illustrator, painter and creative.

While maintaining fulltime employment earning income that at the time was consistent alongside applying to art gigs part-time, I knew that with this balance I would one day hone the skills as a professional. As a fulltime creative, I now have new challenges that initiates self-discipline blending management skills that the workforce provided me ultimately helping to structure an art business full time.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I express the underbelly of human thoughts by painting satire and surreal genres through circumstances. Displaying and revealing the depths of a relatable world has granted me positive attention as an artist. I have become proud of my expression. As an aspiring art, I didn’t understand the reason for the obscurity that showed its face through my art, As I honed my skills and learned how to control my own emotions my art revealed to me my empowerment that once lay dormant. As a professional artist the energy of vulnerability helps me to help others relate to themselves and may reveal the whole of a person.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First off, we will ride the People Mover early on a Friday morning, experiencing the business district and its hustle and bustle of Downtown Detroit. Well catch up and people watch while admiring suit jacket, daycare kiddos, briefcases and backpacks enjoying a corner stores coffee in hand. We will get off at Greek Town station and walk up and down the strip. while the traffic is most clear in the day to really enjoy the scenes. For lunch we would do Happy hour at Nikkis Pizza near Greek Town Casino. Then go back to my home on the East side of Detroit to unpack. The weekend would be enjoying time spend, eating at a new restaurant for the first time for the both of us and going where my guest wants to experience most importantly. Visiting Campus Martius for the interactive AI art experiences and for physical and mental wellness frequenting the YMCA. and enjoying Pho Lucky Vietnamese Pho restaurant as our healthy everyday eatery.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
From the very start I have witnessed my late mother’s creativity. She would come in from a hard day’s work, sit me on her knee at a young age and guide my hand to create abstract designs that impacted my art style. Loose, unencumbered, fluid, vibrant and homey and natural are the essential aesthetics my art has taken form from. My mother taught me how to make something out of ‘nothing’ which has driven my creativity and fueled my passion for creating and engaging.

Instagram: @_Ashleymcfadden

Image Credits
Photo of Myself against the brick wall, credits go out to Darius Baber contact info Instagram @Dariusbaber