Bio
“L. Samara Ash is a contemporary artist / educator with a background in Art Advisory & Project Management.”
Photo credit Phoebe Cheong
www.phoebecheong.com
“The idea behind this quest is to engage in a dialogue that leads to inspiring each other. I see artists as the ambassadors of hope establishing conversations that help to counterbalance the anxiety and uncertainty prevalent in our times. ”
Lorna Samara Ash was born in Bogota, Colombia; she lives & works in Miami, Florida. She is a resident artist at FountainHead Studios, Little River, Florida. Ash graduated as Valedictorian from The University of Florida through New World School of the Arts (2008) where she earned a Dual BFA in Painting and Electronic Intermedia along with a Minor in Art History.
Ash is an interdisciplinary artist that works across mediums with power & frailty as a subject matter. Through her work, she hopes to create a space for dialogue and exploration of the complexities of these two concepts. Incorporating painting, photography, and installation into her practice; Ash draws inspiration from personal experiences of potentiality and weakness.
In her new body of work “Transcendence,” Ash used AI intelligence to generate digital image-tiles via a prompt describing spirituality. The printed version of these tiles are transferred to canvas, marks are added, and paper, fabric, & roots are applied making this physical-act an allegory to human existence.
The AI image generator serves as a metaphor for the potential that our consciousness has to transcend beyond current limitations and serves as a reminder that an AI image generator’s output is ultimately an amalgam of human-made images.
In the long run, Ash would like her work to bring to mind the deeper connections people have with each other in an evolving technological world.
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Ash’s work has been part of numerous exhibitions; selected shows include Channing Tatum’s: MML LIVE & Steven Soderbergh’s Singani 63, Buick Building Design District, Miami, FL (2022), Sagamore The Art Hotel, South Beach, Florida (2010); Museum of Art & Design - Freedom Tower, Downtown Miami, Florida (2008), Broward-County Public Library, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (2006), Finger Lakes GrassRoots of Music & Dance, Ithaca, New York (2019), The Lightbox at Goldman Warehouse, Wynwood, Florida (2015), and Fountainhead Studios Exhibit, Little River, Florida (2022).
Her artwork can be found in national & international collections (selected art collections: Joan Blackman Private Collection, Susie & Walid Wahab Private Collection, Cricket Taplin Collection, De La Cruz Collection, & Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation).
Ash was the recipient of various awards including the Nall Art Association European Scholarship, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France, New World School of the Arts Full Scholarship, Downtown Miami, Siggraph Space-Time Competition winner, Los Angeles, California, The Mickey Wolfson Jr. Center Best Drawing Award, Miami, Florida , USA Funds Access to Education winner, among others.
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“As a professional muralist with over 25 years of experience in the fine arts, I’ve had the privilege of bringing vibrant, thought-provoking art to a wide array of public places (Walnut Creek, CA; Miami Shores, FL; Fort Pierce, FL; Wynwood, FL & many more) . ”
“My journey in the arts has also led me to roles as an art project manager and art consultant (Art Project Manager, DIETL International; Art Advisor, St. Regis Bal Harbour; Assistant Director, & Sagamore The Art Hotel), where I honed my ability to oversee and execute large-scale projects with precision and creativity. ”
“In the long run, Ash would like her work to bring to mind the deeper connections people have with each other in an evolving technological world.”
“My artistic influences include Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s use of Chiaroscuro, 12th Century gothic cathedrals, and Alexander McQueen’s sultry, gothic flare”