Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Perry.
Hi Ashley, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Art has always been an early memory for me; it has always been a part of me since I was a kid until now. I remember painting, drawing, writing, or DIY-ing something whenever I could because it allowed me to just be present and authentically express myself in that moment. I didn’t discover graphic design until the summer before I started college — I chose design as my major on a whim because I knew I wanted to pursue a career that I would wake up loving to do every day. I might not have known anything about it, but I knew my skills in art would transfer and allow me to learn something new. That decision is what kickstarted my passion for design and helped me discover how I wanted to use my talents to contribute to the world around me. It wasn’t until my Junior year of college that I understood the need for Designers in the world and how I could use my voice to make a statement for change. There’s only a small percentage of Black designers, let alone Black women designers in the industry, so I knew my presence was needed even if I didn’t know it yet. Learning about Emory Douglas and his role in the Black Panthers is what sparked the notion that I could use my skills as a means for expressing my identity as well as bringing awareness to the Black experience. When I create my work, I always think about the message I am portraying and what I want my audiences to think about. This consists of a lot of outlining, researching, and experimenting in the creation process. Post-grad, I slowly became discouraged by the state of the job market, which forced me to think outside the box about how I wanted to enter the design community. That led me to freelance work on my own terms, which has allowed me to have full creative control over my ideas while building community around me. This year I’ve entered into creative directing as an extension of my skills as a designer, which has led me to help curate projects that align with my goals as a creative. I love creative world-building and designing an experience for my audience to step into. Working alongside other creatives to accomplish this goal has allowed me to accomplish so much that I’ve always aspired to do. I know looking back to my younger self, she would be so proud to see all the things I’m doing now. I’m looking forward to all the cool projects I will create in the future as I continue to build my portfolio.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Getting to where I am now has been far from easy, and there have been many moments when I second-guessed whether a career in design was still possible. In addition to design, I love film, music, and media, so a lot of my work reflects my interests, and I considered at one point entering the media industry. When I first started studying graphic design, I never had any doubts that I could pave a way to make a living for myself. However, after receiving my degree, the state of the job market post-grad definitely derailed my confidence in that notion, as the design jobs I was applying to didn’t get back to me. That made me really think about why I loved design in the first place and how I was willing to pivot to make a name for myself moving forward in the industry. This led me to position myself among other creatives in spaces I saw myself in, which sparked momentum to gain visibility for my work. My goal has always been to create the work I wanted to see and to use my skills as a vehicle to voice my opinions. I knew I couldn’t give up on my dream despite the challenges that were out of my control, so positioning myself where I am now has allowed me to regain motivation to pursue that. I would be lying if I said I didn’t still have doubts from time to time, but the feeling I get when I bring a design to life that I envisioned in my mind always grounds me to remember why I started in the first place. My support system also plays a big role in this, as I am constantly being affirmed by the people in my circle that my creativity and talents are appreciated and needed. I’m especially thankful for my parents, who allowed me to explore my creative interests as a kid and continue to cheer me on as I continue to pursue something I love. Without their support, I wouldn’t be who I am today.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The nucleus of my design work intersects research and writing with a specific lens on the Black experience to start a conversation with my audience. I love experimenting with layouts, imagery, typography, and texture to create something new that feels inviting and caters to visual storytelling. I enjoy creating things that my audience can relate to and feel seen while interacting with them. Most of my work centers on specific topics, researching key facts within that, and reflecting on them in design form. I take my role in the design world very seriously as I understand the need for representation in an industry that tends to overlook certain groups. Whether only one person or hundreds of people resonate with my work, my goal is to maintain the responsibility to stay authentic to myself and the experiences I speak on. I hope that this paves the way for other young Black designers to see this career as a possibility without sacrificing their true self. I believe my intentions through my work make me stand out, as I feel that creating something that is visually appealing is not enough to create work that remains relevant. I am constantly looking for ways to expand my skills and challenge myself. Most of the time, my inspiration comes from other mediums, which I feel adds depth to my work. Sometimes that looks like listening to music, watching a documentary, or learning about another artist’s creative process. I enjoy stepping out of myself and sometimes my medium to generate fresh ideas.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
To know me is to understand my constant passion for knowledge and how I always find ways to seek out new information that could expand my thinking. I’ve always been a curious person, wanting to know anything and everything. I was that kid always asking “why?” and “how?” simply because I knew the power behind reading in between the lines. Problem-solving is one of the main aspects of design, and to be a good designer, I believe you have to be comfortable with seeking out deeper understanding through research and ideation. Design is something that is embedded into my daily life, and I am constantly thinking of new ways to communicate information, express what I’m thinking about, and why. In the age of AI and other technologies, I truly believe the role of designers and the need for designers will still be in demand. Authenticity will always prevail, and there are audiences still out there who want to see real work without any shortcuts. The design process exercises your brain, and the more you go through the process of creation and execution, the more you build the muscle of creating work that will start to look like your own that stands out from the rest.
Pricing:
- For any graphics — starts at $100
- For any logos — starts at $200
- For any design assets & branding — starts at $600
- Disclaimer: All pricing is based on the scope of work and depends on the deliverables in the final packaging of the project.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://perryashley36.wixsite.com/aj-studios
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studios_aj/
