Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Dugan.
Ashley, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’ve loved art and illustration for as long as I can remember. My older sister loved art and drawing and taught me a lot when I was a kid. Art was always my favorite subject and I spent most of my days doodling cute little critters in class. I always knew I wanted to do something related to art and after high school I decided to take some art classes at the local community college. I fell in love with graphic design and started attending art school. I’ve been a graphic designer and illustrator since I graduated college in 2007. I’ve had an interesting career so far and have had the ability to work for some really great brands and companies, all the while creating a portfolio that is full of variety.
For the past 4 years I’ve been doing illustration and product design for a leading craft and scrapbook company. It’s been such a blast and I love seeing the products I create sitting on the shelves of stores. Like most people my age, I also have a side hustle. I sell prints of my illustrations and do freelance design work for a few regular clients.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I create bright and colorful illustrations, usually of cute animals, fun characters or florals – I LOVE flowers. You’ll see them pop in my work very often. I have 2 little girls that inspire me and most of my art is created with them in mind. I like to create things that make people smile. There is already so much negativity in the world and I don’t feel the need to contribute any more of it. I started out drawing everything on paper or painting on canvas, but lately most of my work has been drawn in photo shop using a tablet to draw on.
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
I spent a lot of time when I was younger comparing myself to others and feeling like everyone was competition. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that other artists aren’t my competition but part of my community and a source of inspiration. There is room for everyone’s art and voice and you can’t define your success based on the success of others. Being a successful artist is all about defining your own goals and working hard to achieve them.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
You can see my work on my website: www.littlesistersstudio.com or on Instagram @littlesistersstudio. I have a society6 shop: https://society6.com/littlesistersstudio. As well as an Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/littlesisstudio
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.littlesistersstudio.com
- Email: ashley@ashleydugan.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlesistersstudio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LittleSistersStudio/?ref=bookmarks
- Other: https://society6.com/littlesistersstudio
Image Credit:
*illustrations by Ashley Dugan.
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
