The cyclical nature of life and personal patterns of reflection direct my creative process. I use a variety of materials to respond and translate these experiences into non-objective and abstract paintings. Working and reworking the surface, adding and subtracting layers, stepping into and away from a developing artwork becomes a physical and mental dance. This process is a form of communication; a conversation between artist, paint, and surface.
— Ashley Meyora
Ashley Meyora was born in in Berkeley, CA. At the age of 12, she replaced California city life with quaint little mountain-town living in Red Lodge, Montana. The transition of leaving behind family and venturing to a new, predominantly white residence came as a culture shock and initiated a life-long journey of discovering and rediscovering the self.
From the trails of California's East Bay Regional Park District, to solo explorations through the Beartooth Mountains in Montana, nature has been Meyora's guide, partner, and an inspiration in creation. She moved to Missoula and put herself through college; in 2017 she became the first female in her family to graduate from a university—The University of Montana, with a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in painting as well as a secondary teaching licensure. Throughout her academic journey she shared her paintings with the community and built an organic following by submitting to art calls and juried shows.
Meyora began as an acrylic and mixed media artist, but soon transitioned after discovering the beauty and depth of encaustic painting. The layers, embedding, and capabilities of encaustic reminded her of the complexities of being human. With this medium she could better translate this dance of discovery. Meyora is constantly inspired by the natural world around her, as well as the societal structures which we live by and the people we share this experience with. She translates her personal experiences, her “life dance,” through layers, textures, colors, and line. Meyora’s non-objective and abstract works are reflections of personal and collective experiences without words...only feeling, and memory.