Meet Ashley Glass

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

Hi Ashley, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
After high school, I was searching for purpose and direction in life, so I spent some time soul-searching and rediscovered my passion for the arts and its impact on the world. I fell back in love with drawing, picked up painting shortly after, and wanted to share my work. In 2019, I set out to do just that by creating a brand where I could share my work as well as inspire other artists and creatives to create unique and original work. As I reconnected with my love for the arts, I noticed a lack of genuine community for artists like me, those who are motivated to create meaningful change through their original work. In a world that often seems overshadowed by sameness and endless challenges, the talent of artists and creatives bringing forth unique and groundbreaking artwork in various forms deeply inspired me. This motivated me to foster a supportive community where artists can feel empowered and uplifted, enabling them to inspire future generations. The Hood Hippies has evolved over the years from a brand to an open art collective that is committed to inspiringAfter high school, I was searching for purpose and direction in my life. During this time of soul-searching, I rediscovered my passion for the arts and the impact it can have on the world. I fell back in love with drawing and soon picked up painting, eager to share my work with others. In 2019, I created a brand to share my art and inspire other artists and creatives to produce unique and original work.

As I reconnected with my love for the arts, I noticed a lack of genuine community for artists like myself—those motivated to create meaningful change through their original work. In a world that often feels overshadowed by sameness and endless challenges, the talent of artists and creatives, who bring forth unique and groundbreaking artwork in various forms, deeply inspired me. This inspiration motivated me to foster a supportive community where artists could feel empowered and uplifted, enabling them to inspire future generations.

Over the years, The Hood Hippies has evolved from a brand into an open art collective committed to inspiring and creating space for artists and creatives from communities historically excluded from the art world. My goal is to encourage the creation of unique and revolutionary artwork across all mediums. In addition to being a resource for artists and creatives, The Hood Hippies aims to make art easily accessible to underserved communities by providing access to art education, mentorship, and essential resources. and curating space for Artists and Creatives from communities historically excluded from the art world, to create unique and revolutionary artwork across all mediums. In addition to being a resource for Artists and Creatives, The Hood Hippies aims to make art easily accessible to underserved communities by providing access to art education, mentorship, and resources.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m an interdisciplinary Afro-surrealism artist, which means I draw inspiration for my artwork from multiple artistic disciplines like the fine arts, film, photography, and creative writing. For 6 years, I’ve spent countless hours cultivating my passion for creating and leaning into my curiosity for the world around me, as well as my inner world. By creating artwork that explores the intersection of identity, culture, spirituality, and heritage, I create vivid, dreamlike images that challenge the viewer’s perceptions of reality and invite the viewer to engage in a deeper exploration of the themes represented.
By creating a space to foster my creativity and self-expression, allowing myself to explore and communicate my thoughts, feelings, and ideas in tangible forms, I’ve been able to connect with and nurture my inner child, which has reignited my imagination and sparked unshakable passion and joy in my life. I want to inspire others to cultivate these same things for themselves by providing the space for them to foster their creativity and self-expression, explore and communicate their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in tangible forms.
It’s my deepest belief that ART IS IN EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE. Since the time of cave paintings, art and crafts have been used to give shape to the world around us as we figure out its meaning and our own. It’s served as a method to communicate things that words simply can’t. It transcends cultural and language barriers and fosters community. Art is not simply aesthetics, it’s the way we express ourselves, connect with others, and explore the world around us.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Monday, we’d start with breakfast at Jack’s Family Kitchen to have some of the best Southern breakfast in Los Angeles! Then head to Kenneth Hahn Park for a scenic hike, and hang out by the pond for a while. Tuesday, we’d go to Da Poetry Lounge’s weekly open mic night. On Wednesday, we’d head to The Nile for karaoke and tasty food, and drinks. We’d keep things chill for Thursday and head to Hermosa Beach for a picnic. On Friday, we’d continue the trend of keeping things chill by going to the movies at the Baldwin Hills malls and maybe have drinks across the street at The District bar. On Saturday, we’d head to Black Market Flea to support small black businesses and listen to great DJ sets. To end our week-long adventure, we’d spend Sunday in Leimert Park listening to the drum circle.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my mom, friends, and everyone who has supported me through the years. Thank you for all the love and support you have shown me. It keeps me motivated and drives me to continue on this journey.

Website: https://www.thehoodhippies.com/

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