BIO
Born 1985 in Lake Charles, LA / Residing and working in Montgomery, AL
Ashley Duggan-Smith is a contemporary fiber artist layering vintage and found textiles into distinct feminine perspectives. Duggan-Smith’s tactile practice explores the depths and nuances of emotional intelligence and private history within commanding human connections. Culturally identifying as Cajun, she lived an uprooted childhood that naturally lends itself to a sense of boundless flight within her work of winged creatures. She is distinctly known for her bird series that evoke the power and presence of personal choice.
Embroidery and various fibers has been her celebrated medium that allows her to explore and pinpoint maternal ancestry and inherited patterns with the sharpness of a needle. While questioning complex themes of belonging, relationships, and storied nature, her work visually engages without over explanation. This slow, time-honored process inherently supports the contemplation for a deeper and more comprehensive clarity to her creations.
Born in 1985 in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Duggan-Smith studied theatre at the University of Montevallo from 2003 to 2007, earning a magna cum laude B.S. degree. Though concentrated in acting, this training allowed her to choose extensive costume construction classes that strengthened her developing skills in the creative arts. Since 2015, the artist has lived and created in Montgomery, Alabama where she has exhibited locally in the region. Her works are currently in private collections throughout the United States.