Meet the Artist: Ashley Bartnick
In preparation for Wild Goose Creative’s June 2019 Gallery Show — Chromatic: LGBTQ+ Experience in Columbus, we sat down with featured artist Ashley Bartnick to talk about the show.
Ashley re-defines knitting by making 3D fiber portraits of influential figures. For our June Gallery, she’s creating portraits of cultural and historical icons from the LGBTQ+ movement. Ashley’s work presents knitting as a valuable form of artistic expression and “bridges the gap between art and craft.”
How did you start creating 3D fiber portraits?
I began knitting years ago and mostly stuck to wearable items like scarves and sweaters. I felt I wasn’t being challenged enough creatively, so I started branching out and making fiber art objects. I liked making up my own patterns and seeing what I could achieve with fiber. It was the 2016 election that brought about the fiber portraits. I had made a little Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders for myself. When I started sharing pics of the figures I received a lot of positive feedback. This was something that I had made for my own enjoyment, but the response to my work pushed me to try making more. Since then, I have made many portraits of pop culture icons and characters, and have begun accepting commissions for family portraits.
In this exhibit, you’re celebrating cultural and historical icons from the LGBTQ movement. How did you determine which figures you wanted to create?
I knew I couldn’t speak for an entire community. We all have our own stories. So I focused on the people who had made an impact on my own life and hope that others can relate. From music and fashion, to politics and history, I tried to cover a wide range of social spheres that influenced my own identity and perception of the world.
Why do you think it is important to recognize historical members and supporters of the LGBTQ community?
Representation matters. History matters. While a lot has been gained in terms of LGBTQ visibility, we still have a long way to go. It’s important to look back at the people and events that got us to this place and learn from it. We should celebrate those who have gotten us this far. The courage, struggle, and loss within the movement should always be with us and propel us forward.
Who are some LGBTQ icons who have been important to you personally?
I grew up in very small towns where LGBTQ representation simply didn’t exist. Music and art played a vital role in shaping my views. David Bowie and Frida Kahlo continue to be an inspiration to me, as well as Prince. Growing up in Minnesota, Prince was like a hometown hero and seeing someone push the norms of dress and character was important. Here was a guy in heels and eyeliner blowing up the charts and being considered a sex symbol. Matthew Shepard left a permanent mark on me as well. He was only a few years older than me, and his tragedy really hit home. It made me much more aware of the danger of being myself. And that made me angry. It pushed me to educate myself on the history of the LGBTQ movement and realize how lucky I had been.
How are you working to reclaim knitting as an art form?
In general, I don’t believe fiber work gets much respect in the art world. You say the word “knitting” and people immediately think of their grandmothers and scratchy sweaters. But fiber is an amazing medium that can be worked and molded into great pieces of art. Just as a painter has a brush, a knitter has needles. It takes imagination and a large amount of skill to take a simple string of yarn and turn it into a tangible object. I feel my fiber portraits challenge the traditional perception of the purpose of knitting.
Come see Ashley’s work — along with more than 20 local artists — at the opening reception of Chromatic: LGBTQ+ Experience in Columbus June 1, 6–9pm.
