Ashley Bravin is a disabled artist and advocate with multiple chronic illnesses. Born and raised in southern California, Ashley studied both at Carnegie Mellon University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Burren College of Art in County Clare, Ireland. Her work has been exhibited extensively throughout the United States and abroad, and has been featured in shows at the University of Arts London, the Courthouse Gallery in Ireland, and the Museum of Art and History and Torrance Art Museum in California. She has been the recipient of two grants and a fellowship to develop her body of work surrounding violence and sports, and has participated as an artist in residence twice at the Chautauqua Institute of Chautauqua, New York.
Bravin currently lives and works just outside of Los Angeles, California with her medical alert service dog, Rico, and her retiring service dog, Rosie.
Catharsis series
'EMU Stay', mixed media on paper, 14 x 18 inches.
'Changes', mixed media on paper, 14 x 18 inches, 'Withdrawl', mixed media on paper, 14 x 18 inches, 'RX Wednesday', mixed media on paper, 14 x 18 inches.
'Drained' mixed media on paper, 18 x 14 inches.
Bravin's drawing-based multimedia work is largely narrative, and journalistic in nature. Her practice focuses on subjects ranging from politics and the climate crisis, to her ever-growing body of work surrounding her personal experience with disability and illness. Across two series, "Catharsis," and "Get Well Soon," Bravin offers viewers private views into her world. "Catharsis," details major aspects of her life with illness, including hospitalizations, medications regiments, and the advent of mobility devices with large ink, watercolor, and acrylic works. "Get Well Soon" is a much smaller series, composed of delicate gouache paintings of Get Well Soon flowers she has accumulated over years of illness, accompanied by text contextualizing each piece.
GET Well Soon series
'Get Well Soon', gouache on paper, 7.5 x 5 inches.
'Get Well Soon #8', gouache on paper, 8 x 6 inches, 'Get Well Soon #2', gouache on paper, 8 x 6 inches, 'Get Well Soon #7', gouache on paper, 8 x 6 inches.
25 of 25,000 series
'25 of 25000 #1', ink and watercolor on paper, 30 x 22 inches.
'25 of 25000 #5', ink and watercolor on paper, 30 x 22 inches, 'Two Cats' ink and ink wash on paper, 30 x 22 inches, 'C.E.(Critically Endangered)', ink and watercolor on paper, 24 x 18 inches.
'Superstition', ink and ink wash on paper, 30 x 22 inches.
Ashley Bravin in her studio with her service dog, Rico.
website: http://ashleybravin.net
Instagram: @ashleybravin
Ashley Bravin was recently interviewed by artist, Ted Meyer, an artist who portrays the beauty and humor of physicality while exploring narratives of the human condition. Ted is an Artistic Patient Advocate.
