Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Corbello.
Hi Ashley, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hi, I’m Ashley. I’m a KC based artist (painter).
After graduating college, I went to work as a graphic designer. Mostly to appease my parents, and also because it was the only place I knew how to find creative work at the time. After working in Corporate America for several years, I realized the “work hard, be rewarded, and move up” mantra of my parent’s generation no longer exists and decided to pursue what I really wanted to do from the start, painting.
In the early days I printed flyers and made a list of all the local doggy daycares, bakeries and places like that in the area, then drove around asking if I could leave flyers for their customers. I also had a booth at every dog event and any local art fairs I could get into. That was really how it all began for me and how I started getting my first collectors. Now I have so many amazing supporters from the years of pounding the pavement, friends who are artists and other business owners, that I get an equal amount of work from referrals as I do from art fairs.
The biggest thing I’ve learned is that you can build amazing relationships that turn into opportunities for your work in the places you least expect it.
For instance, I began fostering for a local rescue six years ago because I wanted to give back and I love animals. I found an organization that was easy to volunteer for and began fostering and volunteering as a way to contribute. Now, all these years later, they have not only become friends but also some of the biggest supporters of my business.
Looking back to where I started, I can hardly believe all the amazing people that have come into my life over the years and have helped me get where I am today.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Definitely not a smooth road. When I was in college, I remember our Professors telling us “If you are talented enough, you’ll make it.” That was it. No practical advice on getting into shows, marketing your work, or running a business, just be talented and a career would magically unfold.
For me, there has been a huge learning curve all along the way. I had to learn how to find shows, how to apply for them, what kind of booth setup you need for outdoor shows, what gallery directors expect for gallery shows. Not to mention the business side of things, sales taxes, licenses, self-employment tax, marketing. The list goes on and on. As much as I would love to just paint all day every day, I also have to run a business. By myself, which took a lot of trial and error and learning in the early days.
On top of all that, if you earn income from art fairs, they are juried each year. Which means a group of professionals looks at everyone’s work and decides if they can be in the show or not. The kicker is, even when you find a profitable show that your work does well at, you are never guaranteed to get in again as the jurors often change every year. So, you can’t really count on a specific show for income year after year.
Fortunately, artists out on the road are friendly and willing to give advice to newbies. I’ve learned a TON over the years from other artists, and I’m still learning new things every day when it comes to how to be an artist and a business.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a painter. I specialize in realistic portraits of pets and animals. I would like to think I’m known for really capturing the essence of an animal. What makes them unique and really lets their personality shine. My work is bold, graphic and brightly colored.
I choose to paint pets because they make our lives better in so many ways. I was always a quiet kid. In high school I was the weird, arty kid, and even as an adult, I’ve never really felt like I fit in. But no matter what, when I was with our horses or dogs I always felt at home, they loved me just as I was. They never asked me to be something else, and that feeling is what I capture in my work. It is a reminder that you are loved and already perfect, just as you are. And knowing someone has your back is a game changer.
However, if you own a pet, you know that living with them isn’t just all love 24/7. They are mischievous, and funny, and have unique personalities just like people do. That’s what rounds out the joy they bring to our lives. I started my “Conversations Series” with that in mind, and it’s what sets me apart from other pet painters. This series features a face – sometimes just half a face, because I always say it’s all in the eyes – with a short phrase of hand-painted text above it of what I think they are saying. It was inspired by spending days on end in the studio with my dog. They are the conversations I imagine we have, and they’re funny.
I’m most proud that I had the guts to pursue a life as an artist and in doing so I have met so many other people that share my deep connection to animals. I guess you could say I finally found where I belong.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t focus much on luck. The only place I can see it could be a factor is with art fairs and the weather. Mother Nature can really break loose sometimes and destroy everything. I guess that’s one way I’ve been lucky, my tent has survived some whopper storms. But other than that, I think everything else is just how life goes. Sometimes good, sometimes bad and you just have to roll with it.
Pricing:
- Custom Pet Paintings starting at $350
- Original paintings range from $200 – $2,000
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.ashleycorbello.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleycorbello/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashleycorbellopaintings
Image Credits:
Image 1 and 2 (with purple backgrounds) – EllyMay Moments
