Life & Work with Ashley Sipes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Sipes. 

Ashley, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Well, I think like most other artists out there I got started at a very young age. I’ve been drawing and painting ever since I can remember! Creating art (whether through traditional media, playing music, photography, acting, writing – you name it!) has always been an outlet for me. And while I did technically go to college for art, my intention was never to actually use it the way I do now. I wanted to be a wedding cake decorator, haha. I wanted to start my own bakery, and while I knew I could bake, I thought my drawing skills could have used some improvement. So, I took a few classes, majored in Fine Art with and emphasis in painting, and I guess you could say the rest is history! 

But really, I was pretty burned out with art after college. I don’t know if it was from working full-time and going to school full-time, the pressure of constantly creating, or all of the above – but creating art just wasn’t the same anymore. I took several years off from making art to try to figure myself out. I went back for a Master’s degree (but this time in Teaching) but found out that maybe teaching wasn’t exactly meant for me. 

It wasn’t until 2020 that I decided to really start creating again. I felt ready. So ready in fact, that I quit my full-time job at the time to pursue this passion of mine. It was a total leap of faith. The pandemic for me, and like so many countless others, really provided me with a lot of time to reflect on my own mortality and what I wanted to really do with what fleeting amount of time I have on this planet. 

What started as fun little drawings related to my favorite TV shows and video games, my art started to take a direction towards creating fully rendered illustrations and posters for these things as well. This has helped me tremendously to find an audience. However, throughout this whole process, I also wanted to use my voice to create art related towards mental health and well-being as well. It’s the other thing I’m really passionate about. It’s really been my focus lately because I am currently trying to navigate through my own mental health, and want others to know that they are not alone. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. And if it’s been easy, I’d love to know anyone’s secret. For me, my biggest struggle has honestly been…myself. Crazy, right? But it’s the truth. I hold myself back a lot from the things I want to do. Of course, there’s also the constant struggle of growing an audience and the pressure to come up with new content, but I hold myself back so much in all of these regards. I feel like a lot of people can relate, which helps. But I still struggle with my insecurities. 

It’s hard putting yourself out there for all the world to see. And being someone who’s queer and neurodivergent with anxiety and depression, I’m constantly worried about how I’m perceived by others. I lack the confidence I really need. It’s isolating and lonely. 

However, I’ve found that when I do put myself out there, I feel less alone. Especially when I create content centered around mental health. I meet new people and find out that I’m not actually as alone as I thought I was. I find joy in making people happy, which makes me happy in return. It makes me want to keep sharing these little pieces of me, but I still struggle all the time with the vulnerability that comes with it. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an artist. I like doing a little bit of everything. But first and foremost, I love illustration. I love creating art based on pop culture and mental health. And sometimes I even combine the two as well. I’ve found that it really helps me to be relatable to people, but it also helps me mentally as well. I’m pretty socially awkward and reclusive, so I don’t get out much, haha. But when I post a piece on social media, it’s always so cool to see the overwhelming positive reaction it gets. A couple of weeks ago I posted a piece related to my favorite video game on Reddit and it landed me on the front page! I’m also constantly selling out in my shop online, have hundreds of five-star reviews, and I honestly can’t believe it most of the time. I’m my biggest critic, so I struggle to like everything I make. So, when someone messages me to tell me they loved something I made it just truly means the world to me. 

I’ve always loved creating art that centers around the human experience, but I also like creating art that doesn’t take place in our own reality. And that’s why I love what I do. Art has this way of letting ourselves escape from our current realities and venture into new worlds, worlds where we want to be. For me, art was always a way of letting go, yet finding myself along the way. It is still true today. 

I love being able to share my passion with the world. I love being able to make people happy with my art. I have only ever wanted to make people happy, whether it is through words of encouragement or by igniting feelings of nostalgia. I want to create a connection – to light that fire – to have people either feel empowered or to help them get through a difficult time. Whether my art makes you laugh, cry, smile, be calm, or even feel inspired – I feel like I have accomplished my goal in life. 

How do you think about luck?
Oh man. Definitely a lot. I like to joke that I am just a magnet for bad luck, haha. When it rains, it pours. But I have honestly had a lot of good luck too. Just a lot of being in the right place at the right time and meeting the right people. And that’s a big thing that I’ve discovered I couldn’t do unless I put myself out there, so there’s that. 

Pricing:

• Art Prints – $15.00
• Stickers – $3.75
• Greeting Cards – $4.25
• Enamel Pins – $10.00
• Postcards – $3.75

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: ashleymorganillustration.com
• Instagram: ashley___mo
• Twitter: ashley___mo
• Other: www.tiktok.com/@ashley___mo