ASHLEY LONGSHORE INTERVIEW
““When I found art and a way to express myself through being creative, I found grounding. You know, my art and my creative time is the rod in the ground that lightning can strike but everything’s gonna be alright. It is the base of the majority of joy in my life.””
Your live painting performance during Christian Siriano's New York Fashion Week runway show was a spectacular collision of fashion, fine art, and performance. It felt less like a runway presentation and more like an immersive creative experience. How did this collaboration come together, and what was it like bringing your artistic vision to life alongside one of fashion's most celebrated designers?
Yes! I mean Christian and I have been friends for years. He had mentioned to me months, and months, and months ago that he had this idea of me painting live on the center of the runway show and of course we worked closely together because as he was designing the clothes I was painting them on these amazing female muses.
So we had to work very closely together. We worked together for months in order to make this happen and of course Christian is not just a brilliant fashion designer, he is just a creative powerhouse. I mean, his home is magnificent, his store is magnificent, so he had a very strong vision of how everything would lay out in the center of Gotham Hall which is SUCH an incredible venue!
SO, we really collaborated well together and it was so much fun and he is just such a nice person!
Strong, unapologetic women have become a recurring theme throughout your work, yet your art also feels deeply personal and reflective of your own experiences. As your career has evolved, has your perspective on empowerment and the role of art in shaping cultural conversations changed over time?
I mean, you know the journey of an artist is that I am really letting you into my own world and my own experience. As far as me creating social change, I wouldn't say that creating social change is my job. My job is to express how I feel and react in the world that I live in and I try and be optimistic.
I am very aware that I have a lot to learn. I am a female entrepreneur. I love being a woman. I love other strong women. I love strong humans. I love people who are willing to be their weirdest selves and just fucking go for it.
But I feel like every day that I am alive and the more issues and the more obstacles I have in front of me, the smarter I get in how to deal with them and how to process information. So obviously, the more years I have under my belt, the better I am going to be at that.
You have cultivated an incredibly loyal community of collectors, and your ARTGASM membership program offers fans a unique opportunity to own pieces of your creative world. What inspired you to launch the platform, and why was it important for you to create a more accessible way for people to connect with your work?
Well basically I wanted there to be a platform that was far-less expensive than having to buy an original piece of artwork.
I mean, look, let's face it, as an artist I have an expiration date. When I am dead these paintings can't be created anymore. The older I get, the more expensive they will be because of that.
I wanted to create something that would also accrue value over the years. So I thought Artgasm would be a wonderful platform to do that where my members got an actual hand-signed palette, you know, which is the foundation of all my work. A little hand-written letter from me. Cool items that only Artgasm members can get.
I just wanted to create a platform that had a lot of value and heart to it.
I love my members of Artgasm, and they love Artgasm. I don't know, there's lots of artists out there that I can't afford as an art collector and I love to buy items and things like that that are not prints or giclées or iPhone covers. Things that are cool, special, and limited edition.
I think that's what art collectors love. We're looking for something special, limited edition and for me I could do that through Artgasm.
Your creative universe extends far beyond the traditional canvas, encompassing painting, furniture design, fashion collaborations, performance art, and immersive experiences. With so many opportunities constantly coming your way, how do you stay grounded and connected to the creative spark that started it all?
I mean, listen, my creative center is the eye of the hurricane.
That is the force and the center, that is the foundation of why I have gotten anywhere I have been.
When I started painting my life was chaos in my 20's. I didn't know how I was going to make money, I didn't know if I was ever going to find love. I didn't know anything.
When I found art and a way to express myself through being creative, I found grounding.
You know, my art and my creative time is the rod in the ground that lightning can strike but everything's gonna be alright. It is the base of the majority of joy in my life. It is where I find my peace. It is where I meditate.
It is crucial that I have that time.
There are no other options. Period.
The New York Times once described you as "Fashion's Latest Art Darling"—a title that perfectly captures your ability to blur the boundaries between art, style, and popular culture. What does that recognition mean to you, and how do you feel about being embraced by both the art world and the fashion world?
I love it when people call me "darling"!
That's my answer.
It's really sweet and cool and I love that I'm not a size 2. I love that I am my own unique person and that I express myself and that other creative unique people see that fire in me.
And I LOVE to be called "darling"... who doesn't?