Ashley Forrest grew up surrounded by creativity and when asked what she wanted to be, her answer was simple: an artist.
Her introduction to art began when her mother became an interior designer when Forrest was in elementary school. Forrest learned basic color theory and design principles, and afternoons were spent driving through Oklahoma City’s historical neighborhoods discussing architectural elements of the homes. And while Forrest had loved the studio art classes she took in high school, after graduation she found herself working in various sales positions to make ends meet. “The money was good,” she said, “but it was soulless.”
Following a 6,000-mile road trip with her best friend, Forrest realized it was time to make a change. “I grew a garden and started reading works by the Dalai Lama. I knew the only way I could be intrinsically happy was to do good things and feel good about the things I was doing.” Forrest began volunteering for the Homeless Alliance and eventually accepted a full-time position until she was furloughed due to the pandemic. Her long-term boyfriend was opening a luxury retail space downtown and offered to help Forrest open a fine art gallery there as well. She was able to feature local art from artists she had long admired. Forrest created a space that cemented her place in the art community, even after her romantic relationship ended and her professional world was upended.
As a way of dealing with her emotions, Forrest finally picked up her paintbrush again—and has not looked back. “When the gallery was closing, I got an 18-foot-wide canvas and just unleashed all of my rage on it,” Forrest said. “The piece was called ‘Super Tiger’ and I included it in my last gallery show. I remember a friend being shocked, saying, ‘You had this in you all along?’ and I said, ‘Everyone has two wolves inside them, but I have three tigers.’” *
“Super Tiger” was the first piece of art Forrest sold. “I spent the next eight months growing a garden, working odd jobs and remembering how to paint. I was trying to find my voice and build something that no one could take away from me.”
Forrest now has an instantly recognizable style, reminiscent of Picasso, using vibrant color and bold, abstract shapes on large canvases. “Painting is both a physical and emotional process for me. I work instinctively, allowing gesture, color and shape to guide the narrative as the piece unfolds. It’s like a fun dance to get to paint this way,” she said. Last year she sold 40 original works, had four solo shows and finally fulfilled her dream of becoming a full-time artist.
Forrest works daily from her home studio in Quail Creek, engulfed in sunlight, surrounded by nature. She is an animal lover, with two dogs and a cat as well as a red-eared slider and corn snake, living in enclosures within two beautiful mid-century china cabinets. She is one of the featured ProAm artists at this year’s Festival of the Arts and continually has work on display at Jack Fowler Art World Headquarters and the OKCMOA museum store. Available work is shared on Instagram, and she is embracing “salon-style” shows in private residences. Forrest is the embodiment of a renaissance woman, and has found inner peace by creating incredible art.
*Forrest is referring to a Cherokee parable of the “two wolves inside you,” representing an internal struggle between good and evil.
