Ashlea Simons’s artwork earns President’s Art Award
By Amand Fallon
Winning an award was never something Ashlea Simons expected from her artwork.
“In all of my years as an artist I never thought my works would win an award,” she said. “It was never a thought that crossed my mind.”
When Ashlea received the email informing her that her work had been selected for the President’s Art Award, she initially thought there had been a misunderstanding.
“I was confused when I received the email announcing my success,” she said. “I thought maybe the email meant I was in a pool of other candidates and one would be chosen.”
Instead, two of her scratchboard pieces, Silenced and Balance, were selected to become permanent additions to the College’s art collection.
“I never dreamed that my art would be good enough to become a permanent addition to the College’s art collection,” Ashlea said.
The recognition was also an opportunity for Ashlea to reflect on the instructors who helped her develop as an artist. One of the first people she wanted to tell was a former Lane art teacher who has since retired.
“She helped me learn the specific medium (and many others) I used that won the award,” Ashlea said.
For Ashlea, those classes provided more than technical instruction. They helped her become more comfortable with experimentation, failure and taking creative risks.
“Her classes taught me more than just technique,” she said. “They helped me get over fear of failing, taught me confidence, and that being creative can take many different forms, and taking risks can lead to new ideas.”
That willingness to take risks became part of the process behind the two award-winning pieces.
“The pieces I created were a challenge for myself,” Ashlea said.
She had never intentionally created artwork featuring people or worked with fabric in this way. Rather than staying with techniques she already knew, she decided to push herself and see what she could accomplish.
“I wanted to push myself in the medium I was using,” she said. “I wanted to show myself what I could accomplish if I pushed past my fears and self-induced-limitations.”
The medium she chose was scratchboard, a form of engraving that involves removing a layer of black India ink to reveal the white clayboard underneath. Unlike traditional drawing, where an artist adds lines and shading, scratchboard requires the artist to work by removing the dark surface to create highlights.
Ashlea uses a variety of tools in the process, including sandpaper, tattoo needles, an X-Acto knife, a Brillo pad and a fiberglass brush.
Silenced measures 8 by 10 inches, while Balance measures 3 by 5 inches. Each piece took approximately eight to 12 hours to complete.
For Ashlea, the award represents more than recognition for two pieces of artwork. It reflects the challenge she gave herself to move beyond what she thought she could accomplish.
“I believe I accomplished what I needed in these pieces, and thankfully the President and the panel of judges agreed,” she said.
The two pieces will now become part of the College’s permanent art collection — something Ashlea said she never imagined would happen.
“I never dreamed that my art would be good enough to become a permanent addition to the College’s art collection,” she said.