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Ash Leslie is one of those talented artists whose emotive abstract paintings resonate with everyone in different ways.
For almost a decade, the former graphic designer worked in creative roles across various industries while practising art on the side. It wasn’t until she was on maternity leave in 2018 after the birth of her first daughter that she started sharing her paintings to social media, and decided to follow her life-long aspiration of becoming a full-time artist.
Since then, she’s garnered a reputation for her layered brushwork and soft, earthy colour palette that channels the beauty of nature.
Her work has featured in a range of exhibitions around New South Wales and Melbourne, and we’re thrilled to be hosting her new solo show ‘Little By Little’!
Ash says this collection of 23 pieces was produced in ‘small moments’ throughout the last year, where she challenged herself to lean into the slow process of art making.
‘I struggle with delayed gratification,’ she adds. ‘Recently I’ve tried to change my approach, to see progress not as something that is achieved through hustle, stress and adrenaline but with just a little bit of meaningful work each day.’
‘This phrase “little by little” is often something I say to myself when I feel frustrated and also refers to the way my little people — my daughters, who are five and two — approach painting with a playful freedom that I find inspiring.’
All of the canvases are made up of lots of smaller marks layered together to create a bigger picture, with titles like ‘From A Sapling’ and ‘Salty Haze’ nodding to the landscapes that inspired the piece. With many of the works, Ash experimented with some new methods, using masking with tape, spray painting, or pouring paint in the process, while the installation is like a collage, made up of many paintings on fabric sewn together. It’s all these unexpected details that make these works undeniably special!
You can now view the full catalogue here. To purchase a piece from collection, email art@thedesignfiles.net, and we’d love to see you at the exhibition’s opening night drinks on Thursday May 2nd!
‘Little By Little’
TDF Collect
14 Little Oxford Street
Collingwood, VIC
Opening night:
Thursday 2 May, 5.30pm – 7.30pm
Exhibition dates:
Friday May 3, 10am – 4pm
Saturday May 4, 10am – 4pm
Sunday, CLOSED
Monday May 6, 10am – 4pm
Tuesday May 7, 10am – 4pm
For all artwork sales and enquiries please contact art@thedesignfiles.net and we’ll get back to you ASAP. View all artworks and prices here.
TDF Collect exhibitions are generously supported by Dulux, Bodriggy, Minimum Wines and TINA.
