Ashley Scherer

About the Artist

Ashley Scherer will receive her B.A. from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, June 2019 with an art major and education minor. She has exhibited her work since 2013 in a variety of locations ranging from Colonial Beach and Baltimore, Maryland to Virginia. Although Scherer’s work varies in two dimensional art such as painting, collage and mixed media her work is primarily graphite pencil drawings that focuses on social commentary by analyzing sociocultural factors. Her work is influenced and dependent on her day to day interactions with those close in her life as she aims to address and bring to light their personal concerns through an interview and discussion based process.  

Artist's Statement

What was once intimate becomes public concern as I focus on social commentary by analyzing sociocultural factors such as beauty, sexual orientation, gender roles, and race. My work is dependent on my day to day interactions as I address people’s personal concerns through a discussion based process in order to acknowledge issues I myself may not be exposed to. I incorporate text and quotes from my participants to ensure I am not speaking for them but rather use this opportunity as a collaborative and educational experience. This investigation has been heavily influenced by John Coplans and Lorna Simpson’s work with my use of unconventional portraiture, cropped imagery, and eliminating context from the background to emphasize the act that is being captured. Although my work varies in two dimensional art I primarily work with graphite pencil drawings as it allows me the opportunity to feel personally connected to both the individual and the subject, as I observe and transfer their experiences and physical characteristics in a way that mimics a photograph.