Hey! My name’s Ash and I use she/her pronouns. I’m Welsh/Caribbean and have lived in Cardiff my whole life!

What drew you to the graphic design world? [brilliant pun fully intended]

Growing up, I’d always dive in and out of different creative projects. I enjoyed designing, creating and anything artistic in general but never fully knew which direction I wanted to take it in. While studying foundation art and design, I found I really enjoyed illustration and decided to carry it on to degree level. I’ve recently become more interested in graphic design and incorporating my own illustrations into it.

The back print of Ash’s ‘Shibuya’ Hoodie

Who or what inspires you most?

Do you find design work helpful if you’re in a bad headspace?

Absolutely! Designing and creating gives me something to focus on. If I’m feeling down or there’s something bothering me, it’s a great distraction from that. I definitely feel that the sense of achievement from finishing a piece helps to put me in a more positive headspace.

Is there anything else you do to help you stay positive/get through tough times?

Listening to music is definitely a big one! Sometimes I’ll put on something super emotional and poignant if I feel like allowing myself to wallow for a bit will help. Other times, I’ll listen to the most obnoxious pop music I can think of and that’ll help me just stop caring for a little while haha!

The back print on Ash’s ‘Stronger Together’ Tee

Have you got an example of a time where you’ve had some good support from a pal?

I’m lucky to have a solid group of friends who are all really accepting and open-minded. Most of us have lived together at some point or another so we all know each other really well and it’s nice to have such a close-knit support system. Something that really stands out to me is that occasionally after working weekends, I’d arrive home to find my friends had cooked us all the most amazing roast dinner. It was always so thoughtful that they’d cook extra veggie options for me and wait until I got home so we could all eat together… especially if I’d worked a Sunday with a massive hangover haha! It was so wholesome to sit and have a home-cooked meal together. Thoughtful acts like that always make me feel so supported and cared about!

Where can we find some more of your artwork?

You can find some more of my artwork on Instagram @ashhh.jpg

Bonus question: what are you listening to right now?

Some albums I’m really into at the moment are Afterburner by Dance Gavin Dance, Fracture by Bleed From Within and ARDIPITHECUS by Willow. An all time favourite of mine is Sufferer’s self-titled. It’s a concept album that details one person’s struggle with anxiety and depression throughout a single day, with each entity (the suffer, anxiety and depression) represented by a different vocalist. During a bad time, the album really helped me to wrap my head around a lot of feelings I was experiencing but didn’t quite understand. I’d recommend it to anyone!