ASHLEY JIN
Ashley Jin is an interdisciplinary artist working across drawing, printmaking, and writing to create pieces that are playful and reverential to themes of grief, growth, and memory. By sifting through and repurposing personal archives, intimate moments of vulnerability are transformed into an earnest embrace of all the experiences that make a person whole. She is currently studying Clinical Psychology at Tufts University and Studio Art at the SMFA.
Instagram: @athweezart
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ARTIST Q&A
Born: Summit, NJ
Currently lives: Somerville, MA
Title of artwork: “5:15”
What’s it about? This piece was an exercise in learning linocut reduction printing and trusting the process. I had a lot of fun playing around with layers, colors, and texture. I wanted to leave it ambiguous whether the image was at sunrise or sunset (though I admit a 5:15 sunrise in Boston is overly optimistic), reflecting the quiet introspection and liminality of shifting seasons.
Where else can we find your work? On my Instagram @athweezart, or my website, ashleyj.in. I also made a house-shaped book on view now at the Asian American Center at Tufts!It would be amazing to paint a mural at the Rose Kennedy Greenway. I’m always so in awe of Problak’s mural whenever I see it – it would be a dream to be able to create an image as compelling as what he and his team achieved.
Where is your favorite public art piece in the area? Nell Valle and Tianna Rivera’s Zone 3 Community Sketchbook. Such a genius way to encourage creative engagement while working together to create something beautiful.
Who is your favorite Boston-area artist to follow? I’m forever a fan of Amy Chu @camoot.journal. Her style is hypnotic and whimsical, and her writing is poignant and relatable. I think about her comics for weeks after I read them.
What’s your favorite way to spend a day off? Baking silly and elaborate cakes with my friends, or picnics when it’s warm enough!
What was your top song for 2023? Submerge FM by Yaeji
Favorite place for food in the Allston/Brighton area? Seoul Jangteo
What have you learned about your creative practice in recent years? A long walk at night can do wonders
What is a piece of advice you would give to your past self as a young artist? I believe I am still a young artist with a lot to learn, but my message to my past self is: Don’t overthink how other people interpret your work. Your audience is capable of finding meaning in what you make without having to be spoon fed every detail, and it’s sometimes most impactful when they draw connections that you didn’t even intend in the first place!
What is your dream project to work on? It would be amazing to paint a mural at the Rose Kennedy Greenway. I’m always so in awe of Problak’s mural whenever I see it – it would be a dream to be able to create an image as compelling as what he and his team achieved.
