Interviewee:
Ashlee Caswell (She/Her/Hers)
In your words… Tell us about your organization, business, initiative.
Thistle Art portrays beauty in the natural world as the overarching concept of her pieces, though elements of the strange
and unusual seep in. A strong bond with nature and the unknown led her down a path to the world of the macabre. Spirits, ghosts, folklore, legends, and cryptids have always been of interest to the artist and have become the main point focus in her works. Through her Art, she aims to bring joy and excitement to the world of the unknown.
Tell us a bit about you and why you do what you do? Share your passions for your business, initiative, organization.
I started painting as a means to create a peaceful place in my mind, which was full of the chaos of teen life. The indescribable joy that my art brings me made me realize that I needed to follow this career path for the rest of my life. I wanted my job to be my passion and I continue to live by this idea. When I started to paint things that were interesting to me, I realized what an amazing community that I had unintentionally surrounded myself with. A community full of people with similar interests to me, that truly support my passion and ideas. My goal is to continue to meet people and grow my community.
What role do you think your business plays in supporting a more creative community? OR your community in general. (Bonus! Why do you think a more creative community is important?)
While doing vendor events through my business, I have connected with people all over the U.S. and it truly opened my eyes to how many people love the creativity of small artists and are artists themselves. I love learning about other people’s creative styles and expressions and I love to embrace and share what I have learned with other people. Having a more creative community is so important in learning about other people’s values, morals and goals. When we express ourselves creatively, we can truly see how a person feels not only on the inside to get to know them, but on how they aim to help their community to prosper and grow in the right direction.
What was the last book you read OR What was the last video you watched that made an impact on you?
One of the last videos I watched was a montage put together by a reporter on the ground in Gaza. Not only was it unbelievably heartbreaking to see humans suffering so badly and to feel so helpless watching the horrors from behind a phone screen, but it made me realize how important community is and how at the end of the day a community of people will always look out for one another.
What’s the one thing people would be surprised to learn about you or your business?
One thing people would be surprised to learn is that I never took a single art class or college course on art, instead I just taught myself and started my business while the rest of my peers were graduating from their four-year schools. It’s one of the things I am most proud of in my life. I don’t think we all have to follow a specific path that society tells us is important. If you feel as though you are meant to do something, chase that feeling.
Creative Collective is a group of economic development strategists, small business supporters, activation specialists, and believers in the importance of the creative workforce. We foster growth, sustainability, and scalability for small businesses, creative thinkers, organizations, entrepreneurs, and innovators. Learn more and join Creative Collective at www.creativecollectivema.com/join
Thistle Art
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Thistle Art portrays beauty in the natural world as the overarching concept of her pieces, though elements of the strange and unusual seep in. A strong bond with nature and the unknown led her down a path to the world of the macabre. Spirits, ghosts, folklore, legends, and cryptids have always been of interest to the artist and have become
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