Scarlet, Cream, & an Abstract Dream
Ashley Spitsnogle Seizes Opportunities, Paints a Portrait of Success
Ashley Spitsnogle’s creativity comes in many forms. Whether fans know her from her illustrative work, her abstract pieces, or her larger-than-life Huskers portraits, the passion, artistry, and joy present in each piece remain constants. Spitsnogle initially honed her talent through painting and drawing courses at Doane College, bolstered by a graduate intensive in Florence, Italy. She has nurtured a career as a self-employed artist ever since, seeking new opportunities and tackling fresh challenges to do what she loves. One of Spitsnogle’s first gigs as an artist was to illustrate Josh the Baby Otter, a children’s book promoting water safety. After losing their son in a tragic drowning incident, Blake and Kathy Collingsworth of Lincoln, Nebraska, wrote the story to teach parents and kids alike how to enjoy swimming safely. Both Spitsnogle and the Collingsworths now work with organizations like Rotary International, the Coast Guard, and the Michael Phelps Foundation, and have printed over a million copies of the book. “I loved working on the book and promoting it because of how passionate everyone in those organizations is,” Spitsnogle said. “But i’d say that abstract is probably my favorite way to paint.”
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SEPTEMBER 2023