Pennsylvania
Ashley Kostak, Innocence Unknown, oil, 20 x 16.
Art Education: I have been an apprentice under artist Joel Carson Jones for five years.
Style: I have studied hyperrealism in my years at the atelier, but I feel drawn to imaginative realism.
Creative Spark: I generally get my ideas based on experiences and the emotions behind them. I suppose art is therapy for me to dissect my own feelings. I mostly get ideas while driving, so I have sticky notes all over my car.
Second-Choice Career: I’m currently working at an animal shelter, and I love helping the animals find homes.
Other Passions: Learning new instruments. It helps me restore balance in between painting sessions, especially during frustrating moments.
One Thing People Don’t Know About You: I traveled around in a van for a year with my pup. It was the hardest, yet most rewarding, experience. I had my easel tucked away in the van, and I would draw or paint at coffee shops.
Pet Peeve: Ego.
Quirkiest Trait: I would sit on a pillow on the floor while I worked on my art at the atelier. Eventually others tried it out, too. And then I wasn’t so odd.
Favorite Work by Another Artist: REBIRTH by Joel Carson Jones.
Future Goals: To teach art.
Price Range: $200 to $3,000.
Representation: Rehs Galleries, New York, NY; Lovetts Gallery, Tulsa, OK; www.ashleykostak.com.
This story was featured in the September 2020 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art September 2020 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
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