April 8th, 2010 by: Ashley
Art for CASA, Brera Cafe at the Lyric Theatre
7.5″x11″ ink on paper, $40 (plus shipping via standard mail outside of the UK)
SOLD
10% of art sales now through April 30 donated to Court Appointed Special Advocates.
March 30th, 2010 by: Ashley
Art for CASA, Portobello Market
7.5″x11″ ink on paper, $40 (plus shipping via standard mail outside of the UK)
SOLD
10% of art sales now through April 30 donated to Court Appointed Special Advocates.
March 17th, 2010 by: Ashley
Painting in progress, March 17, 2010
I have big plans for this painting. If I can finish it in time, I’m submitting it for a rather reputable art competition here in London. I won’t jinx myself by disclosing the details just yet.
March 8th, 2010 by: Ashley
Art for CASA, The Crown in Seven Dials
7.5″x11″ ink on paper, $40 (plus shipping via standard mail outside of the UK)
SOLD
10% of art sales now through April 30 donated to Court Appointed Special Advocates.
February 23rd, 2010 by: Ashley
Postcard paintings, Feb 23, 2010
Somehow I managed to catch these postcard-sized scenes from the countryside while on a train from London to Somerset. It was a great exercise in forcing myself to paint very fast (and not getting motion sickness). They’re on their way to family in the States. I was sure to write on the one to my brother that I painted the image on the front. I wouldn’t put it past him to think I bought it at a tourist shop.
February 16th, 2010 by: Ashley
Art for CASA, Two Brothers Pub
7.5″x11″ ink on paper, $40 (plus shipping via standard mail outside of the UK)
SOLD
10% of art sales now through April 30 donated to Court Appointed Special Advocates.
February 11th, 2010 by: Ashley
Art for CASA, Kingsways & Great Queens St
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7.5″x11″ ink on paper, $40 (plus shipping via standard mail outside of the UK), SOLD. 
10% of art sales now through April 30 donated to Court Appointed Special Advocates.
February 7th, 2010 by: Ashley
London scenes for CASA
7.5″x8″ ink on paper, $35 (plus shipping), SOLD
10% of art sales now through April 30 donated to Court Appointed Special Advocates.
I’ve realized while settling into my new home in London that the local scenes are inspiring me to draw and paint faster than I’m keeping up with service organizations. Although it’s invigorating to be painting urban street scenes again, I won’t leave out the charitable component of my work. So, while I’m painting and finding my footing here, I will be making contributions from art sales to Court Appointed Special Advocates, one of my all time favorite nonprofit organizations.
CASA is always looking for volunteers to advocate for abused children engaged in the legal system while a safe home is identified for them. With over 1,000 local community offices throughout the US, there’s bound to be a CASA office near you. I volunteered for CASA and would be happy to answer any questions about my experience, just email me at ashley.cecil(at)gmail.com.
January 27th, 2010 by: Ashley
Things I miss about college
“You never know what you’re missing until it’s gone.” I’m a believer in this adage. For example, I never realized how convenient it was to show up to a studio class in college and a model was there waiting for us. It’s a little trickier when you’re on your own, or it was until I moved to a big city.
I’m a little hesitant to keep looking for things to do in London because I’m afraid my creative ADD will run wild. Wednesday night drop-in figure drawing class, check. Daily art museum guided tours, check. Free exhibition lectures, check. It’s like having all of the resources of a college student with a city-wide campus.
January 26th, 2010 by: Ashley
Hello London!
15″x30″ oil on canvas, SOLD
See all artwork available for sale.
So this is square one in a new city. I’ve always thought of myself as travel savvy, but I was humbled last night by missing a social art event due to my inability to navigate my way from my borough to a theathre in the city center. Apparently I’m only as travel savvy as a my smart phone makes me, which I’m without at the moment.
It’s almost overwhelming to take in all of the options in a city as big and rich in culture as London. My paints arrived yesterday so we’ll see how the sights translate on canvas. I’m pleased with this first piece of a pub in Soho just as people were leaving their offices. Happy hour is taken very seriously here.
January 25th, 2010 by: Ashley
Farwell America!
15″x45″ oil on canvas, $1,350
A donation from sold painting will be made to Art In The Market.
The move is underway!
Before departing I had to paint Findlay Market, one of my favorite places in my last city of residence, Cincinnati. This is also the last painting remaining from my entire body of work to date, which is hard to believe since I’ve created hundreds of paintings over the last few years (thank you for patronage).
I’m eager to create and share new work inspired from abroad. Now I just need my art supplies to arrive off the boat.
December 28th, 2009 by: Ashley
An inspirational client
8″x10″ oil on canvas, SOLD.
See all artwork available for sale.
I love that my website attracts requests for touching commission requests such as the one below:
Ashley,
The better part of last year I spent in surgery, chemo or having double radiation for cancers. So far I am in remission and doing very well. One of the many wonderful caregivers with a daunting task is a trainer for Fitsteps For Life, a free program designed to make us chemo and radiation patients get out of bed and work out and not allowing us to become bedridden. The program that I am enrolled in is hosted by the generosity of Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas.
Our wonderful trainer lost her young mother recently to cancer. Her mother lived and died at home in Jacksonville, Texas. Hours before she passed on, she told her family of a bird that had started inhabiting her garden and for them to understand that things in this life are not as they seem. The bird was there that day and the family got a look at the bird, the Painted Bunting. She told her family that when she left them, there would be two. She died several hours later and as the family wandered into the garden, there were two of these beautiful birds on a branch in their mother’s garden.
Needless to say, the bird is now a huge symbol in the lives of that family. As a gesture of profound gratitude for this caregivers service to me and many others I would like to have you paint a small oil of this beautiful bird that she may receive anonymously for Christmas.
I assure you there is no better way to feel good about your work. I was incredibly honored to paint this colorful bird for my client and mail it to the recipient. How’s that for holiday cheer?
