Meet the Collage Therapist
Ashley began writing and using imagery to create an archive of the self in their journals.
This practice was heavily influenced by their mothers loss of personal photos when their parents migrated back and forth from the Dominican Republic to New York City. Ashley began collaging as a pastime craft turned coping skill while recovering from self injurious behavior. Journaling with intention since about 2012 — Ashley practices what they identify as Radical Vulnerability through their writing, artistic expression, dialogue, and imagery.
Art History
Ashley has been making collages since the year 2012 and has maintained it as a personal practice for processing, meaning making, and creative expression.
Their art has received recognition through the City Artist Corps Grant in 2021, where they were able to provide a New York City funded workshop for their home of Queens on Mental Health and Collage. You can see some of Ashley’s work in Black Collagists: The Book (2021).
“I believe in repurposing in the most vulnerable of ways - with materials, thoughts, and feelings. My Collage practice allows me to practice sustainability and build intuition by following whatever feels right in the moment. As someone who found this practice while in recovery for self harm and at the same time being an avid thrifter, I found a way to turn that love into a coping mechanism, which has followed me for years.”
Ashley is currently available for Commissions (Personal and Commercial)