Ashley Chappell

A retired nurse, Ashley Chappell's journey into photography unveils a tale of resilience and pursuing dreams. After being forced to leave nursing a decade ago due to lupus, Ashley found solace and purpose behind the lens during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chappell's photography embodies a captivating duality. Inspired by the earthy beauty of nature, her work simultaneously exudes opulence and luxury, reflecting her upbringing in a middle-class African American household surrounded by African art and rich textures. Utilizing a painterly technique, Ashley infuses her photographs with a unique aesthetic that blurs the line between photography and painting. By intentionally departing from the strict realism of her subjects, she creates a visual language that embraces artistic expression and subjective interpretation. Technically precise, yet infused with emotion and vitality, Ashley's photographs celebrate the union of natural and refined elements. She revels in the interplay of lines, forms, and shapes, yielding imagery that is both grounded and elevated. Through her lens, Ashley invites viewers to revel in the harmonious fusion of earthy and elegant, where the beauty of contrasts comes alive.