Ashley Ravidas
AQ is our series of hardcover catalogs celebrating extraordinary women artists. Available on Amazon. Visit the AQ Catalog Webpage to learn more.
AQ Volume VI artist Ashley Ravidas is a geometric abstraction painter from Los Angeles, CA. She is a self-taught artist, having completed a Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences from the University of Washington. She is interested in the intersection of color and design through geometric abstraction, abstract expressionism, color field painting, and op art, as these art styles ask the viewer to contemplate and sit in the emotion or feeling of the art.
She has exhibited at The Other Art Fair and Superfine Art Fair, as well as in numerous juried art shows across the United States. Ashley looks forward to continuing to share her art across art fairs, exhibitions, and through print as a focus for 2025.
www.arartstudios.com
What inspired you to become an artist, and how did you decide to commit to this path?
I started painting during the pandemic as a way to cope with burnout from work. Once I started, I really just fell down a rabbit hole. I found that I connected with painting and art in a way that I never had with anything else I’d done, either as a hobby or for work. Once I started thinking I would share and sell my work, I initially expected to work my full-time corporate job and do art on the side, maybe starting an Etsy or something small. A few months into that path, I decided instead to just go for it! Nothing like taking a giant leap out of your comfort zone to incentivize progress.
Could you share the story or concept behind your recent work?
My most recent series is a reflection on moments of time. I have been thinking about how moments or memories can hold so much emotion, and I’m reconnecting with those memories as a way to evoke joy. It’s a bit of a chaotic and uncertain time right now, and every bit of joy we can find is so important.
What role does experimentation and exploration play in your artistic practice?
I love to experiment with new ideas and patterns. I take inspiration from everywhere—nature, tiles, brick patterns, pottery, traveling—the list goes on and on. I think, with my work, it might seem like it would be straightforward, but with so many ways to apply pattern, color, and design, there are infinite possibilities.
What message do you hope your art conveys to the world?
I hope that my art serves as a reminder to be present in moments of joy, to appreciate the moments of stillness, and to create balance in life.
Share a mantra or favorite quote that keeps you going.
My favorite mantra is “the universe is conspiring in your favor,” a great reminder that if we look for the positives and the synchronicities, we will find them.
