The artist behind Howe Elementary’s garden
When observing Ashley Hickey Flavin’s work, viewers are transported to a surreal natural world, one with mossy landscape, varying textures and warm hues. The Mt. Lebanon artist creates her artwork using wood, gypsum, charcoal and acrylic paint.
Flavin works from her studio at Radiant Hall in McKees Rocks, finding her flow state while developing two or three paintings simultaneously. Her children often join her, adding to the creative atmosphere by drawing on the walls and moving along to her artistic rhythm.
As an artist inspired by nature, her work is influenced by the music playing in the background. For Flavin, it ranges from indie-folk artist Phoebe Bridgers to instrumental pieces, and even King of Latin Trap, Bad Bunny. This musical variety keeps her energized to continue creating art with her kids by her side.
Flavin’s three children keep her engaged in various forms of art, including the design of the garden at Howe Elementary, where her kids attend school. Flavin brought her love of nature into the public space and created a haven for students to explore and immerse themselves in its details. Flavin is currently developing a new body of work that feels refreshing and evokes a sense of playfulness, all while balancing motherhood. This challenging task requires determination, curiosity and flexibility, qualities that she embodies fully.
A self-described introspective individual who feels most at home in a forest, Flavin draws on her childlike wonder to explore the details of her surroundings. She zooms in on the textures of moss and is captivated by the varying surfaces of tree bark, which are then transformed into artworks. Using diverse perspectives, she provides an ethereal representation of nature. Rather than focusing on plein air depiction, she conveys the emotions that her encounters with nature evoke.
As a viewer, I am struck by the tactile quality of her work — the thick layers of paint, the movement evident in the brushstrokes and the combination of elements that transport you to a specific moment, one that feels dreamlike. Her newer pieces, such as Channel, place us in a forest looking upward, crowned by green foliage. With “Grief,” there is an intensity with the white ice and the dripping of thick dark blue. That same emotion is conveyed in Salve, expressed through the intense color palette and charred center. Her compositions have a restlessness, from the vibrant color placement to the layered arrangements, yet they continually iterate the natural world.
You can view her artwork on her website and social media @aj.hickeyart.
Tom Hickey
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Ashley’s love for nature, and her imagination is always expressed in her art.