Ashley Longshore is a bit of an oddball. Some people have described her as the Andy Warhol of the 21st century. She is an artist and trend spotter who lives and works in New Orleans.
In a town populated with many interesting people, Ashley stands out. In an industry littered with failed dreams and dramatic crashes and burns, she is an unmitigated success.
She is successful because she was willing to acknowledge and embrace with great joy who she is. She had the support and unquestioned love of a father even though as a child was she more than a hand full. A daughter of the south, she quickly realized that she did not fit into the traditional world of sororities and the Old South social life that is Ole Miss. In fact, she graduated from the University of Montana, not exactly a cultural mecca for the art world. But it met her needs.
“If I can do it, anyone can do it.”
Ashley Longshore
“I have always been extremely headstrong and bull-headed. Fortunately, the attributes that made me quite difficult as a child are the same attributes that now have made me quite successful as an adult.”
It was not always smooth sailing. There were a lot of bad days trying to support herself and build a business of selling her art outside the traditional gallery business model. It took 23 years but she has arrived to critical acclaim. She attributes her success to her ability to be maintain a positive attitude, to be enthusiastic about her art and the relationships she has built over the years. Her daily routine begins with a pep talk!
“If I can do it, anyone can do it.”
Many of us create barriers. This woman, with a positive outlook and unabashed enthusiasm, is making her own way. She refuses to accept setbacks or the limitations others have tried to place upon her. It seems to be working.
“I don’t fly commercial,” she exclaimed. There is a lesson there for all of us.