Today we’d like to introduce you to C. Ashley Spencer.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
From an early childhood, growing up in New Orleans, I’ve loved to draw. My first creative inspiration came from my mother and my father’s sister, who was an artist. (In fact, Casart’s Katherine Collection is dedicated to her vintage artwork.) I attribute my art instruction to my wonderful, talented art teachers, who taught me so many different techniques to utilize.
My father always said, “do something that you love.” I thought I might go into medicine. My father was a neurosurgeon and my mother a nurse, each from a long line of medical practitioners. Instead, I concentrated on art history at Sewanee (The University of the South) because I wanted a more well-rounded background in art. For me, creating art is a form of expression to celebrate life. Learning about other artists and the history of art opened my eyes to great master works, where I learned about artistic styles, the creative process, and techniques. I try to incorporate something pertaining to art history in most of my artwork.
In college, I obtained a grant to study the details of art exhibition at The National Gallery of Art (NGA) in DC. This is where I worked as a summer intern and secured a job after graduating in their exhibition and design department. This was how my planned career path into museum work started.
Mark Leithauser, the Director of the Design & Installation Department (DID) at the NGA was a huge influence, as a mentor and a sought-after, hyper-realistic painter in his own right. I also worked at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, exhibition design department, as well as the Arena Stage for set design and painting stage sets. This is where I learned how to do decorative and faux painting.
Life’s best laid plans can throw you a curveball. In the late 1980s, after marrying my college sweetheart, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease when I was pregnant. Our first son was born 6 weeks early, while I completed my radiation and then chemo treatments. I focused on motherhood while starting The Occasional Palette, an at-home business illustrating for magazines as well as private commissions. Once our second son was born and both boys were attending school, I began working more outside of the home.
In 1995, through my second business, Casart (casa + art = art for your home), I started painting murals and doing decorative/ faux painting in my clients’ homes, which I really enjoyed, as part-time work provided a good balance with parenting.
However, this on-site work was laborious and if the homeowners moved, they couldn’t take their art with them. After painting some canvas murals so they could be transportable, I found a way to reproduce my artwork digitally, including my decorative/ faux painting that could be scaled up onto more efficient, high-quality, peel-and-stick wallcovering that is easy to install and remove. I like the fact that Casart wallpaper has the practical application of being reusable & sustainable.
Casart Coverings began in 2009 with its own production and running all the aspects of business as one of the path-breaking companies in this field for removable, peel-and-stick, commercial-grade wallcovering. I enjoyed working with interior designers as well as online customers through my online retail storefront. In 2019 I started offering my designs as Casart Décor for up to 95 different décor products to coordinate with my wallcovering designs. The blue morpho butterfly is the logo in my brand because it represents the interior transformation that comes with personalizing a space.
Doing my own production, however, took me away from the creative aspects of my business, which was the part that drove me to this work in the first place, so I made a change in 2023. With over 200 designs and 6,000 variations for color and sizes, I transitioned my business model to Casart Décor Shops so that my designs are available to license with online platforms such as Spoonflower and others, and they can handle all the production. It takes tremendous amount of time to reconfigure each design file for different platforms. While I’m doing this, customers can contact me directly to select designs they would like to see produced.
I continue to enjoy working with clients directly with on-site work, paint consultations for both indoor and exterior, as well as art curation — finding the best placement for their art collections within the rooms in their home. This combines interior design with what I’ve always enjoyed and circles back to my color theory and art history training to help clients enjoy the most out of their spaces.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Had it been smoother, it may not have been as rewarding. It is not easy to start and run your own business as an artist. Promoting my work does not come naturally as a somewhat private person. Unexpectedly, getting cancer helped me become my strongest self-advocate and gain confidence. There were times where my business struggled but I pivoted and repositioned to make it work with less stress and more enjoyment. Finding the right balance between work and leisure is essential for my quality of life.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I create various artwork for clients: custom-commissioned illustrated house renderings, portraits, and invitations; as well as licensed designs for wallpaper, fabric, and interior décor. I help clients realize their interior’s optimal potential with easy and immediate Casart Décor transformations, on-site paint consultations and placement of their curated artwork.
My artwork is inspired by the beauty and wonder of nature, from earth’s elements, botanicals, sea creatures, and birds to captivating finishes and patterns. I like vibrant, thought-provoking artwork with a lasting impact that helps explain connections with personality.
I specialize in depicting detailed subjects of nature often in a narrative format that explains how they can relate to one another. I incorporate multiple disciplines such as science, art history, and the human connection. One example is Shells that I’ve illustrated and overlaid on a background of coral to represent the “family tree” of their scientific classification and association. My Nature Noticed series incorporates illustrated items appreciated during Covid that are displayed on faux Gustavian panels that can be displayed vertically or horizontally. I’m working on a new piece about the circle of life with birds.
More broadly, I enjoy utilizing classical techniques of drawing and painting in a realistic, intricate style. I like to incorporate playful pattern and color that celebrate the majesty and joy in the nature that surrounds us. I delight in even mundane things that we might overlook. I see “Art is Everywhere,” which is also a blog I used to write.
I’m very excited to see a trend in “nostalgic” design harkening back to previous eras that dedicate time and attention to detail and have an appreciation for the simple, basic, yet beautiful pleasures in life. To me, this is not a trend, it is what I’ve always focused on in my artwork.
Although I am most known for my artwork, I’m most proud of my family and what my adult sons and husband have accomplished. I love that we are about to enter a new phase as grandparents and looking forward to what new adventures await.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was quiet and shy growing up but living in New Orleans taught me to appreciate living life boldly and to the fullest. I was studious but knew when to break and have fun with friends and family. Finding the right balance in life has always been key for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.casartcoverings.com/ and https://www.ashley-spencer.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casartcoverings/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casartcoverings/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/casart-coverings-llc
- Twitter: https://x.com/casartcoverings
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CasartCoverings
- Yelp: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/casartcoverings/
- Other: https://bit.ly/m/casart
