Meet Ashley Chafin: Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Chafin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from a small town in Virginia., which was half very old money and half redneck. I hightailed it out of there as soon as I could.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art is…weird. I grew up watching obligatory television staples such as The Brady Bunch and The Facts of Life, along with teenage cautionary tales such as Desperate Lives. With my work, I seek to merge these 2 narratives. My paintings are an exploration of the rituals girls go through while navigating insecurities and teenage theatrics. Marcia Brady, the iconic American Beauty, didn’t always feel that way. In my world, Marcia already has one foot in the gutter, and Blair has a 3 pack a day habit.

And even Gwyneth Paltrow can have a jacked up tooth.

Being an artist is not easy! I am finally starting to sell some paintings and pick up commissions. I have always had to have a day job – even trying to build an Instagram following is very labourious, but I have been tagging the hell out of everybody I paint, and I’m stoked that Amy Sedaris follows me now. You definitely have to be business/social media savvy to get noticed. I still haven’t figured it out!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would go to my favorite thrifting spots such as the Los Feliz flea market on Saturdays.

No trip to LA is complete without going to the beach – several times. I usually go down to Manhattan/Redondo because it is quick and I know just where to park. But driving up to Malibu/County Line is a must as well. Plus I can take my dog. And Laguna is a must; I know these places aren’t really LA lol.

I live in Silver Lake, so we’d probably go up some steps and take a lot of walks.

For bars, Edendale is still one of my favorites, my friends and I call it our Adult bar. When indoor bars were open, I loved Tee Gee for dancing and a Greg Dulli sighting.

For food – Speranza, Little Pine, Joy in Highland Park.

Heartbeat House in Atwater for dance classes. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Honestly, reading The Artists Way got me painting again. Also, Karl Gnass, a figure drawing instructor, was a huge influence on me. I thought I knew how to draw the human figure. Boy, was I wrong.

Website: http://www.ashleychafin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebriteeths/

Other: https://www.saatchiart.com/ashleychafin