01:11.21
ashley longshore
Fifty fifty minutes yes so let’s go Queen. Let’s go let’s rock and roll.

01:18.42
charukaarora
Yes, let’s do it? Yes, Okay, firstly I really want to ask you something which is how do you find the courage to be yourself your fully original self.

01:36.66
ashley longshore
Well I don’t know any other way to be um, you know I grew up ah in the south in ah the United States obviously and I was very much being forced into this box of being like sweet and. A Southern Bell and you know to go find a husband that had a lot of money and you know to have children and have a big house and um I just that never felt like a life old to me I always like like what you had told me earlier I always felt different.

02:12.87
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah, yeah.

02:13.77
ashley longshore
I always felt um, not in a bad way but just like it would have been a lot easier if that is what what I wanted to do with my life by the way. Um, so I mean I think I think through. You know going to school obviously getting an education being sort of nomadic with all of that because I went to boarding school in a um place called Atlanta in Georgia and then um I went to college at the university of Montana I lived in the northeast for a while I you know I just kind of like have always. Followed my heart and you know when when I found painting much like yourself I found this very very great. Love in my life I found this thing that fulfilled me not only um, just in an exciting way. But also in a very deep meditational way I found a way to make the world disappear and to find this place of just color and calm and wonderment that that I could control and so I mean.

03:10.00
charukaarora
Oh yeah.

03:20.14
charukaarora
Yeah.

03:25.24
ashley longshore
I Still feel that way when I get in my studio I have the power to just make everything go away. It’s It’s very meditational I need it very much that that in nature as much as I need wildness and going out and you know fashion and all those things that I love so much. So um, you know.

03:44.30
ashley longshore
I don’t have anything to lose by just being myself I can be misunderstood. That’s for sure. Um, and with some of the huge you know collaborations that I’ve done I’ve had people that have been like Ashley your Instagram woo it’s it’s racy. You know, um. We wish you didn’t use profanity and I’m like well whenever I mention your brand I won’t and also if you you know you can curate the product but you can’t curate the producer I want to be happy I’m not happy when I’m not being me I also know where my heart is I just want to have fun I love joy.

04:11.92
charukaarora
But yeah.

04:21.50
ashley longshore
Want to celebrate my life I want to dance I Want to laugh I Want to have art all around me I want to make art I want to meet interesting people I want to be so happy I cry you know that’s that’s what I want in my life.

04:29.85
charukaarora
Oh god I love that but tell me something I think the question I think a lot of us we all if we ask ourselves. We all want to be happy. But I think a lot of us struggled with what and I think this is something that I also spoke on the last episode like admits. Especially in today’s time there’s so much noise around us. There is so much constant information that sometimes it’s hard to know that who you are what is that the surrounding is what is your voice and what is other people and how do you know that? Okay, like. This is me and having the courage to actually go for it. Did you at any point feel that okay like you found yourself. Were you always like this.

05:19.73
ashley longshore
When did I find myself I think I’ve always been here with myself I think the difference is my inner Monologue and what I say to myself. Um, and a lot of this just takes experience and rejection and all sorts of things. But I think the.

05:25.58
charukaarora
Yeah.

05:35.59
ashley longshore
Main thing that’s changed is me um, telling myself the reasons why I can do something not the reasons why I can’t me. Um, you know, being extremely ambitious and working very hard. Also you know I I.

05:43.88
charukaarora
Cannot.

05:52.94
ashley longshore
My father didn’t write me a check I didn’t marry anybody with a whole bunch of money or any I I’ve had to do it all on my own so there really hasn’t been time for excuses or to sit around wondering about you know it’s time to work which I I love. It’s an honor to work.

05:54.36
charukaarora
Um, yes, yeah, yes.

06:09.32
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

06:12.25
ashley longshore
So um, you know self-doubt has never been an option Self-doubt’s never been an option. It’s been a matter of putting myself out there in as many ways as possible and finding who my audience is and just go in for it as hard as I can. You know.

06:30.53
charukaarora
And was it. Um, so you also found painting as your like I remember a line where you said like you know, even if you find the love of your life or a million dollar the moment you found painting you knew that this is something that is your true love for the rest of your life. What was your who was Ashley before that were you still someone who you are today like that.

06:47.28
ashley longshore
Exactly.

06:55.90
ashley longshore
I mean I’m a very anxious person I think probably because I do have so much energy I Need to put my energy towards something so you know look when when I was growing up and still living with my parents I mean you know I was in dance class and theater and.

07:02.28
charukaarora
You.

07:14.70
ashley longshore
Anything they could get me involved in to get my energy directed. Fortunately I found art on my own. So yes, when when I found art it was I’d never found anything that I love that Much. Um. And I you know I never went to school for it I just started painting all the time I started painting as much as I could I stopped going out at night I Just because I I wanted to paint It’s all I wanted to do and at some point I looked around and at all these paintings lining the walls and I just thought.

07:49.14
charukaarora
1

07:50.39
ashley longshore
Well I’m going to start a career. Why can’t I sell these things. There’s other artists out there doing this when I researched I didn’t necessarily find a lot of female Artists. So I thought well hell I’m I’m going to be a badass female. Successful artist I’m going to go out here and I’m going to do this I’m going to show him what’s up and so you know that’s what I’m doing. It doesn’t feel like I’ve done it. It feels like I’m just getting started but it does feel good but also but also.

08:15.19
charukaarora
You’ve done that you’re you’re doing it pretty well. Ah, oh absolutely no doubt about that.

08:25.54
ashley longshore
You know you set goals for yourself and you do these things you think oh my God I can’t wait to do a red carpet or I can’t wait to meet this celebrity in person and you do that and it’s awesome. But you know you have to find fulfillment within yourself. You have to find joy within yourself. Um, not in you know Vip Red carpet. All ah.

08:36.37
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, something is.

08:44.28
ashley longshore
The spin, the spin, the spin you know the the realness is in and the beauty of a day and the joy of a day is my favorite day honestly is like at the end of the day when I step back and I look at my easel and I’ve painted something and then I have my dogs and I walk through my garden and I.

08:59.66
charukaarora
I Love that.

09:03.90
ashley longshore
Pick some lettuce and some tomatoes and then go cook with my man I mean that’s that’s nice. That’s nice. It’s simple. It’s very simple.

09:06.60
charukaarora
Yes, yes, yes I Love that. But Also yeah I think that’s that’s um, I Really want to know how like your life. Um, your energy is pretty um, you know you have a lot of things going and you know. Um, specifically like you know it’s like very out there. How is your life behind the you know I think like what we show outside versus is there’s so much behind those social feats that we see on the internet or the or the images of the foot but who’s.

09:43.58
ashley longshore
Ah.

09:45.55
charukaarora
Who you really are what what life looks like for you.

09:46.51
ashley longshore
Well I definitely am that person. But there’s also you know I I don’t post a lot of like my personal time with my friends I don’t post. A whole lot of things with you know, ah Michael or necessarily even with my family like there’s a lot of things I do keep personally um because I just think you know shit it’s you know it’s not all out there for everybody to see but I am wide open and wild and you could ask any of my friends.

10:05.47
charukaarora
Yeah.

10:18.46
ashley longshore
At the same time you know I’m not always the happiest person on a planet I’m a very intense person. Um I’m extremely intense yes and and aggressive I mean I haven’t I haven’t I haven’t not aggressive in a bad way. But like when I decide.

10:20.50
charukaarora
Here Really Wow Oh yeah and I.

10:37.59
ashley longshore
I’m going to paint 20 paintings in you know, two weeks you better, get out of my way you know like I’ll wake up at four in the morning I’ll paint for 14 hours I’ll ice my shoulder and my hip and my wrist when I when I’m done I’ll pass out with a heating pat on my back I wake up and I go for it and my team knows like don’t. Don’t mess with me when I get in that mode. Um I also I move very fast I’m I’m very fast when I want something? Um, but I mean I don’t know any other way to be It’s just how it’s just how I roll.

11:06.15
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

11:10.33
charukaarora
I Think you know I really want to learn from I Really want to listen what you have to say about this because I think a part of all of this is also loving ourselves accepting who we are be it fast. Be it slow, be it um, intense or be it. You know, Joyful or whatever whoever we are. But there’s also a lot of inhibition I think someone who um, ah someone who has a lot of energy feels like they take they may take too much space or what people think about it someone who doesn’t have is you know have their own. Did you ever had those inhibitions where you felt like you were taking a lot of space or like what people would think about you or your work.

11:48.50
ashley longshore
Um, you know what I make sure that I hang out with a very Bohemian creative crowd. It’s funny like yeah I can feel a little bit awkward if I get into a room. Um.

12:04.23
ashley longshore
Filled You know, like ah a women’s luncheon of a bunch of like fancy ladies who are just bath their eyes and smile and um, you know, maybe they don’t go off on a rant filled with expltives and say the things that I say you know. I I know that I need to filter myself a little bit in those situations. Um, but and and and I do out of respect but I Also don’t put myself in that situation unless I have to you know I say it a lot on my on my feed like stay away from assholes stay away from people that that are.

12:24.97
charukaarora
Yeah.

12:33.19
charukaarora
After.

12:39.35
charukaarora
Kind. Yeah.

12:42.82
ashley longshore
Mean stay away from people that are goskers stay away from people that do not wish you the best in your life stay away from people that are just trying to take from you that aren’t celebrating your successes with you. It’s you know it’s just like you know you really have to curate who’s around you. Um, so that you can be who you really are and I I Just you know in the town where I grew Up. There was so much of that cat catddie women and women clawing at each other and you know it plays a huge role in my artwork because a lot of.. What I paint is about what kind of woman I Want to be what’s the right way to do it. You know? Um, so you know I grew up I grew up Watching. You know my mother ah be extremely caddy and all those other women and it’s not something I wanted for my life. So I just have done things my own my own way.

13:21.18
charukaarora
Yes.

13:37.53
charukaarora
Hi learned that. Yeah.

13:38.93
ashley longshore
And I think that’s what you have to do if you if you hang out with a bunch of insecure people that are gossiping and that are hateful. Trust me when you’re not sitting in that chair. They’re talking about you. You know I don’t like to hang out with people like that My people we play we put on music and we play.

13:50.54
charukaarora
M Island

13:57.42
ashley longshore
We take pictures we style photo shoots. Um, you know I’m friends with some incredible drag Queens We do our makeup we you know we we play we play the guitar and write songs We you know, write short stories and you know it’s just.

14:02.58
charukaarora
I Know yeah silent. Yeah.

14:13.75
ashley longshore
Ah, that’s that’s that’s that’s how I roll.

14:16.73
charukaarora
I love that but tell me something I I was reading and you said this um that when you entered not a new all. Let’s say you have your house today when you came to this place you you came even with belly two nickels by your yourself and today you’ve built. Ah, you know you’ve built amazingly successful career for yourself. Um, and also I think I really relate to this feeling because um, having nothing and then making bit by bit. Whatever it is and. You said like you know how when you bought this house you really wanted um to you know to show it or like to have art all over it and to make it a space that truly reflects you I just wanted to talk you through your journey of like having nothing to making this and something I think honestly for someone. I think I never thought and a lot of people around. We still don’t think making a living from what part of the world I come like from India it’s still a lot of patriarchy. You know for a woman to pursue ah a career of her own to have a house of her own to have a life of her own opinion of her own is.

15:21.20
ashley longshore
So yeah, yeah.

15:28.51
charukaarora
Still a big deal and being an artist I think on my own personal journey even today from where I come. It’s still something that’s still not I mean it’s not that we seek validation but we also know that we don’t have that validation like so it’s it’s.

15:41.28
ashley longshore
Yeah, yeah.

15:44.25
charukaarora
I’m sure it’s it’s it may have a lot of layers to it than just what we see online. Can you take us through a little bit of future of how that has been for you.

15:53.27
ashley longshore
You know it’s been um, it’s been interesting. It’s been interesting and I’ll tell you why because building what I’ve built and figuring out how to.

15:54.45
charukaarora
How many eyes. Yeah, yeah.

16:08.43
ashley longshore
You know have a company and a team and to have my own gallery and to not have galleries representing me and taking 50% of me doing this on my own um has been very challenging and wonderful and.

16:14.83
charukaarora
Yes, yes.

16:25.89
ashley longshore
The the journey of doing that has been absolutely incredible and yes, going from barely being able to pay my rent to you know, being able to have enough excess to give back to my community has been a wonderful thing I will say this. So. You know in the beginning of my journey I can’t tell you how marvelous it was to just have all of that time for my creativity to to be building that to be understanding the world and opportunity and my place in it.

16:52.46
charukaarora
I Love that.

17:03.23
ashley longshore
When my career really really started to take off and I’m very grateful for all of that by the way So I don’t want to sound ungrateful and you know I’m selling more art and more opportunities and flying all over the world and doing all these things.

17:09.86
charukaarora
Yes, yes.

17:20.78
ashley longshore
It’s funny when I look back on it although I’m very grateful I wouldn’t say that that’s the happiest time in my life. Um, when I when I think of. My most joyous part of this career so far. It’s been the beginning of it and building it and quite honestly after this pandemic resetting everything slowing down and me recalibrating what truly brings me joy in my life I do feel. Ah, new happiness that I haven’t felt in quite a few years and I well I think maybe I maybe I thought that all of that press and all of those things and all of that. All that stuff would.

17:57.94
charukaarora
Um, what change for you said.

18:11.30
ashley longshore
Somehow be a magic wand and and again I’m not complaining because it’s freaking awesome but to be completely honest with you like I’ve told you before my happiest day is a day painting at my easel.

18:14.88
charukaarora
Yes, absolutely Yes, absolutely.

18:28.31
charukaarora
I am Yeah yeah.

18:30.27
ashley longshore
Walking through the garden cooking and fun dinner. It’s it’s much far more simplistic where my joy is in my life now. That being said, we all, we all want attention as artists. We all want opportunity. But um, those things are not.

18:38.27
charukaarora
More yeah.

18:48.51
ashley longshore
Necessarily What makes you successful success as an artist ah is a very interesting level of fulfillment. It’s a soulful level of fulfillment.

18:50.89
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

19:04.70
ashley longshore
That extends way Beyond money or recognition. It’s really an incredible thing to take a thought and to put it out there for other people to experience and when people relate to your artwork when you step back at the end of the day and you see something that is your time. Your tangible time in your life that that that’s where the joy is and yeah, we need people to buy our art.. Of course we do. We’ve got to pay our rent. We’ve got shit. We’ve got to do but um.

19:23.33
charukaarora
Lie and.

19:35.64
ashley longshore
If your goal is only money and fame you will absolutely be miserable because those 2 things have no cap and you can never have enough of them yet.

19:44.33
charukaarora
Enough of them and also being an artist may not be just the easiest way to get that.

19:50.98
ashley longshore
No, but you know there’s billions of people on the planet you there’s lots of people that need art. You just got to find out who your who your audience is there’s lots of different ways to make a living as an artist you know it is doable.

19:57.40
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

20:04.89
charukaarora
Yeah but absolutely you, you’re sitting right in trying of fast I think you I think and I think and I think that is exactly I think um that a lot of us need to see the possibility like you said when today where you are you decided you’ve made like. You’ve taken a path which is pretty independent quite bold and is I think it’s it’s it’s courageous, but it’s also um, when you put too much sorry you put put too much trust in yourself. You know that like you know that you have it in you. And a lot of times as artists. Um, we feel scared. Um and I think that fear is also not that comes from outside that fear is a lot about that we put on ourselves.

20:50.80
ashley longshore
You cannot be afraid. You cannot be afraid you cannot be afraid that fire of fear will either burn your house down or keep you warm at night you cannot be afraid you have to let that be a catalyst I’m Anxious. So. I am so anxious. Art is a way for me to take that that anxiety about the world and my place in it and I use it as fuel do produce Create. You know that’s that’s the other thing you know I I you know.

21:11.60
charukaarora
And.

21:25.90
ashley longshore
When everything was crazy before the pandemic and it’s still crazy by the way being on airplanes and going all this and being on stages and you know all this stuff it it I felt so anxious I felt so I wasn’t finding the joy in that like I find in getting on a canvas and working you know, pushing my feelings. You cannot be afraid you have to take that fear and let it just Propel. You not make you sink the only way to do that is action action action. The only way to do that is with action.

21:53.95
charukaarora
I’m going to ask you kissing sorry again sorry action.

21:59.94
ashley longshore
You cannot sit around and think about making your art you have to make your art and the minute you do that. You’re gonna feel great.

22:04.92
charukaarora
I know that I think that is a lot of us I think that is why we choose to be an artist the moment you know like so up in the past two years I’ve had an incredible hard time because I lost my mom and I had a huge break and I wasn’t able to make a lot of hard.

22:18.29
ashley longshore
So low.

22:23.66
charukaarora
But every time and I I spoke to this with um Daniel and I had an episode but she shed how she lost her father and she had the same experience and I felt like I would never be able to paint again or make anything again because I never felt connected to myself for a very long time like.

22:43.26
charukaarora
For me to not being able to feel that felt very overwhelming and I felt like this is never coming back because I don’t know how would I feel myself and there was one day and I had no intention but I just saw something and I was like okay maybe I’ll I’ll pick up a color and and when something came out of me I’d not. I Don’t think ah ever since my mom might felt that kind of joy or like that kind of connection to myself like it and I feel like as artists. We also are so privileged that we are able to.

23:05.41
ashley longshore
So.

23:17.45
charukaarora
Process our emotions in some ways find connections like my work today has become a lot about um, finding connection to my mother finding connection to my own droos and um, kind of building my own like I don’t have heirlooms today and that’s why how I say my work is like heirlooms like part of. Because like you know I love how Daniel say like when as artists we have the power of making anything terrible. Be it a thing or a situation into something wonderful.

23:45.48
ashley longshore
Exactly it’s magical.

23:48.45
charukaarora
And I’m going to ask you a question which everybody’s going to be like you know what was ashhe longshaws or is biggest struggle like building your creative career being yourself all through these years what do you think was your biggest struggle. But have you struggled with the most.

24:09.55
ashley longshore
I think I think so much of my work is about women and and again where where I fit in ah do I fit in am I um.

24:28.50
ashley longshore
You know I’m am estranged for my mother I don’t have any relationship with her We. We’ve always sort of on opposite ends I never wanted to be like her So I’ve I’ve never really had um ah that that. Ah, connection to like um ah you know like a um, um, a mother figure in my life I have accumulated incredible mentors that are unbelievable women. It’s not the Same. So I think maybe for me I’ve always just.

24:47.85
charukaarora
Um, yeah.

25:02.30
ashley longshore
Done things my own way instinctively. Um, So maybe maybe part of my struggle is you know and understanding what this whole thing really means about being a woman I I’m not a mother having a children. Never had an inkling to do that. Um I’ve just always felt like having a career and proving myself to myself that you know I’m I’m independent and that I don’t need anyone to take care of me.

25:39.10
ashley longshore
Ah, maybe there’s a struggle between me being defiant and you know not wanting to need a man and not needing anybody although I’ve been in a relationship for 17 years with a wonderful man who’s so incredible. Um I just think. I think and and you know I mean likebody I you know I you want to be accepted and you want to be loved for god’s sake. you know um you know I think that would be 1 of my deeper more.

26:04.30
charukaarora
Loved yeah.

26:14.79
ashley longshore
Ah, deeper struggles is to you know find my place as a woman I guess I mean I I say that but yet I really I know who I am but we’re evolving um I mean of course you know, figuring out you know.

26:21.60
charukaarora
Mian.

26:25.47
charukaarora
Yeah.

26:30.91
ashley longshore
Figure out how to make money I mean who is it struggling with that I mean shit that’s like you know, um I guess even when you’re a billionaire you try to you have to figure out how to keep everybody from taking your money I don’t know Um, but I but I think like I think I think maybe maybe that’s.

26:34.60
charukaarora
Um, yeah, yeah.

26:48.57
ashley longshore
Maybe maybe that’s one of the biggest things. Maybe maybe I need to think about that more I guess talked about therapist.

26:50.27
charukaarora
I Like that.

26:59.50
charukaarora
Ah, there’s something to take away today.

27:00.68
ashley longshore
But you know I I am I am a very optimistic person I always have been able to give myself a Pep talk even when I felt hopeless even if it was hopeless just for a moment you know like oh God This is so hard I’m never going to get where I want to be or. Oh God You know when I when I was you know in my thirty s and I see all these women driving expensive cars and living in big houses wearing all these clothes and I’ve got like a little apartment that I’m renting and I’m making my paintings and I’m like how can anybody do any of this. How could anybody do any of this you know and. Fortunately I never gave up on myself and then you know once you once you figure out how to do that and you get all the stuff and you just have a bunch of Stuff. You know it’s It’s actually very noisy and.

27:46.51
charukaarora
Yeah, but it’s also I think as you said we never know I think what’s what’s so interesting is because I feel like what you said just now has so much to what I have felt and I think it could also be because. You also grew up in a smaller town and um, like you know, a lot of our condition like how I grew up a lot of my own conditioning has always like you said like I don’t need a man or um I don’t I don’t um I don’t need to get married or like in India um not being married. Um.

28:05.45
ashley longshore
Is the.

28:23.70
charukaarora
As a thirty year old is quite ah is quite a big thing not having children um not being dependent on not wanting to be dependent on anyone. Be it your own father family and and I feel like and and that is also how my work started.

28:26.70
ashley longshore
Yeah.

28:33.77
ashley longshore
Right.

28:42.98
charukaarora
And I think how how our experiences even with those experiences we’re constantly like I’m also finding my place as an identity as a woman continuously as a lot of things changed as I reached like as my mom passed away and I I felt like anything that defined who I am.

28:43.70
ashley longshore
Are.

29:00.46
charukaarora
As a woman was something that I saw my mom and it was like a ground and I felt like that was taken away and now who am I again like what is my place in this world to be again, something that I resonated with and I think sometimes we just don’t know how much like it’s It’s not like this. It’s Like. Ocean I think like you never know you know you’re in deep of it but you never know there’s an end to it like there was there will always be more the more you keep going forward. There will always be more and more and more because you’re into it.

29:34.44
ashley longshore
This is life. This is the life that we’re trying to capture with our art I mean this is this is you know the feelings that push us that we’re expressing and this is what makes art so special because when you express yourself to your beautiful paintings when I’m making my art and somebody sees it and they they. They feel it the into the intimacy there is incredible. The human connectivity is amazing and it doesn’t matter where we live or how we grew up art is something that connects us universally Um, that’s why we’re so lucky we’re artists.

30:09.23
charukaarora
Um, yeah I know I know tell me something. Um this is something I’ve been asking a lot of people personally because I think like you have this amazing energy your work is so much positive. It’s very like.

30:12.34
ashley longshore
And 60 So.

30:26.57
charukaarora
This go get it attitude. It’s it’s like it’s a whole way and I’m sure like you said you’re not like that always and you you have your own shifts I saw like personally in the past two years like my work became a lot more serious because I was going through a very hard time and I struggled with like. I really and I still struggle with like who I am what’s happening behind the scenes impacts. A lot of what I make and how I make it I just I just want to know like how do you manage like days like when you are making like your work and.

30:55.35
ashley longshore
Um, Agent e.

31:02.88
charukaarora
I’m sure you may you we all have seasons of life where we are having a good season heart season and how does that What’s your relationship with your work.

31:05.32
ashley longshore
Oh yeah, I Well the same way I use like my social media to like get myself fired up and put out something positive with my artwork. Even if I’m feeling sad I’m like I’m I’m going to I’m going to put something Joyful I’m going to do something that makes me laugh. I’m going to paint something really beautiful to to uplift to to bring myself to another frequency I haven’t really gone into um, a dark place with my artwork I certainly have explored. Ah. You know, social topics and you know again, what it’s like to be a woman but but mostly I mean I use my art as a way to lift my own spirit so in in yeah, so hopefully through me, you know.

31:53.87
charukaarora
Your your art is like a Pep talk to us. Also.

32:02.53
ashley longshore
Telling myself these things you know other people were late. They go shit. Yes I get that I love that you know So um, yeah I I just try I I Yeah I try to paint stuff that makes me happy that makes me laugh that makes me think. You know that brings me joy I Love color color makes me feel Alive. You know the minute the minute I I take a white canvas and all of a sudden Boom. You know there. It is. It’s like magic. You know this? Yes, It’s Fantastic. It’s just so good. Right.

32:30.46
charukaarora
The joy of creating. I Love that and what about what about you know how how you’ve built This is the creative part of being an artist. There’s the other part. The business part that we just spoke. Um, you took the call of you know. Think of I’m going to ask very very basic questions and I want to ask this for myself but also a lot of people like you know, a lot of artists had this stigma like you know building a team A lot of artists are scared of that. You’re not taught but also like you know it’s It’s not like when you’re building a um, um. Ah, company or like a business. You know these are very common things but for artists to take decisions and ah to know that they can hire help that they can you know be on their own they can choose to do all of these things. Um, what are your suggestions and how have you learned your way through these things.

33:31.99
ashley longshore
Well, there are no rules number 1 you can do whatever you want to do so like ah you know you you have to understand that first and foremost there is a lot of different ways to do this and if you instantly think there’s only one way to do it then you’re the only person putting those parameters on yourself. You know there’s there’s a lot of different ways to do this so I’ve I’ve always just done it my own way. I mean you know I got rejected so much was told that I would never make it told my work wasn’t marketable and so I was like well screw this I’m going to start my own company. You know was it the easiest way. Hell no was it a better way for me. Yes, um I had a gallery that emailed me last night and they were like hey we’re so and so this is where we are. We want to represent you we take we take 50%. Let me know if this is good I’ll fly and come and and meet you and I just responded and said hi. Thank you so much. Unfortunately, fifty fifty is just a model that I don’t understand fifty fifty is ah is a model for manufactured goods that’s wholesale price. Not a piece of art that is one of a kind that’s been created. Um I started mountain company. I have my own team I have my own Pr I’m represented by Cia I would never give up 50% to anybody and ah the lady responded and said oh yes, but but galleries have so many expenses we don’t just pocket the money you know we have a highrid area and I’m responding and I said yeah, me too.

35:06.30
ashley longshore
So I have a I ah I own a gallery too I do that too. You know like you know the answer was no no I think you have to as much as you want to say yes and you want all these opportunities when you’re putting yourself out there and you’re so you’re starting you have to know that the answer.

35:06.53
charukaarora
I Need to? ah.

35:26.60
ashley longshore
Saying no to something is also very powerful. Don’t work for exposure. No go ahead.

35:27.88
charukaarora
But tell me something you today? Sorry yeah you today are at a place where you know you you are at a place that you know that you can you can afford this answer like coming from a place of safety.

35:44.27
ashley longshore
Um, I said no I said no I said no because also it doesn’t take a whole lot of times of someone taking your inventory on consignment and nothing happening and you not having your inventory and then some random.

35:46.19
charukaarora
Always.

35:54.82
charukaarora
Nothing happened.

36:00.51
ashley longshore
Ghost of a person wants to buy your artwork and then you get a check for half of what it’s worth and you don’t know who your collector is what happens if the gallery closes. How are you supposed to put yourself out. There. How do you stay in contact with that person. Ah, an existing collector is the best collector you already know that they love you They’re probably going to buy more art I’m an art collector I buy so much art I never buy 1 of anything. Um, you know? Yeah yeah, look and I and even when I was younger people that wanted me to work for exposure are you getting paid then i.

36:17.25
charukaarora
Yes, yes, yes.

36:31.75
charukaarora
Yeah.

36:35.54
ashley longshore
Be getting paid if there’s enough brownie in the pan for everybody. You know like this is you just you really have to stand up for yourself. You really have to stand up for yourself and there are no rules.

36:40.63
charukaarora
Yeah, yeah, yeah I Do I think it’s also like yes yes and also like something like um I think it’s also like the power of taking rix that you have to have so much conviction in yourself that you’re like. Either I’m going to this plan or I’m not going to do like I know that I have to make it this way and say I think it’s all it’s it also shows the conviction that you have to really stand your foot like you have to know that if this is something that you truly believe in you have to take that risk.

37:02.16
ashley longshore
Say that one more time.

37:16.24
charukaarora
Ah, really like you know standing for it and not being like pushed over with what others expect out of you.

37:22.33
ashley longshore
Yeah I mean I had a call with this huge billion dollar corporation a couple of days ago and they were interested in a partnership and they’re like you know what’s your dream. You know what what? What would you? What’s the biggest thing you’d want to do and I told them and then you know I said you know I’m certainly interested in this. But I said you know. I’m an artist I’d like to get paid I said because I know you 2 aren’t working for free I don’t work for free either. I mean you you have to be able to stand up for yourself if.

37:49.60
charukaarora
I Love that.

37:56.48
ashley longshore
You know it isn’t all about money but time is our most precious commodity because you know what if I’m on an airplane or if I’m in a room full of people Guess what I’m not in my favorite place in the whole world and that’s painting. So if you if you’re gonna snatch me away from where I’m painting something that will make me money then dammit you better pull your checkbook out.

37:56.52
charukaarora
Yeah.

38:05.20
charukaarora
Yeah.

38:16.25
ashley longshore
I Mean it just makes sense So right.

38:16.93
charukaarora
Ah, yes, absolutely it I think it always makes sense I don’t know why it doesn’t make sense for everybody else. A lot of people like to be.

38:26.50
ashley longshore
And especially when you are an artist and you’re a woman you know, ah you could particularly yes um, which the United States feels extremely not as much as India but.

38:30.63
charukaarora
And and if you’re in a patriarchy country.

38:41.47
ashley longshore
You know we can’t make decisions about our own bodies anymore and it’s ah it’s It’s a scary place. It’s a very scary place which is why you know at least we have the opportunity to open up our own businesses. So that’s why I’m like get your ass out there start a business make your own money make money you know.

38:42.66
charukaarora
Yes, absolutely yeah, it is.

38:58.81
ashley longshore
Ah, give money to politicians that you do believe in like this is a machine man. You’ve got to get involved in it right.

39:05.17
charukaarora
Yes, and I think what I really love about you is also um I think you are a reality that shows a huge a whole different angle of what is possible for us. But also I think something I truly believe in um. That as artists we’re just not artists but also entrepreneurs we need to think like people who are it’s just not in the like like thinking about practical things of things side of things and taking control. Ah like you would do in any business that you wouldn’t sit back and wait for people to come in. You know. Come and buy something for you. You would go literally to Them. You know, build all those things and a lot of artists feel scared of taking that leap like.

39:46.40
ashley longshore
And do you know what? if that is how you feel working with a gallery might be the best way for you because there are studio artists. Not every artist is going to want to do what I do and when I talk about galleries and 50 You know, look.

39:53.11
charukaarora
Was yeah yeah.

40:04.69
ashley longshore
I keep 100% but then I also I have all the rent of a gallery I have all my employees I pay payroll tax. All the all of those all of that stuff. But I I love the business side of it. So it’s again, there’s so many different ways to make it as an artist.

40:06.17
charukaarora
Is that? Yeah yeah, yeah, many ways. Yeah, and also because you’ve taken. Yeah, you’ve also.

40:22.27
ashley longshore
You just have to decide.

40:25.78
charukaarora
Take in that role if you don’t have the gallery. You’ve become the gallery for yourself. You’ve built this entire structure that actually works for you in the other pace. You know I think it’s also a transaction you’re giving someone 50% they’re doing a lot of work for you if you keep that percent you do that work for yourself.

40:42.39
ashley longshore
Yeah, but you know, ah you also get to know who your clients are you know there’s there’s there’s there’s a plus and minus to everything I personally just never liked the way 50% felt it felt.

40:43.91
charukaarora
Yes. Yeah, what man man. Yes, That’s true. Well Also the creative.

40:56.74
ashley longshore
And if you look at other businesses. There is not another industry that takes that much. There isn’t other than the other than the music industry who’s also taking from artists. Yeah I mean it’s just like even people that work with designers and decorators they have their shops. Well they go to a market. They buy the sofa they buy the lamp.

41:09.29
charukaarora
Yeah.

41:15.81
ashley longshore
They buy the rug and they sell it. But then you want artists to just give you the art and hang it on consignment and hope that it sells and you take 50% no pull out your checkbook pull out your checkbook.

41:24.12
charukaarora
Yeah I Love that code I’m going to put this. This will be the title of this episode episode pull out your textbook.

41:32.55
ashley longshore
Yeah I mean I mean I mean I’m saying that like Gen Z like nobody knows what the hell of Checkbook pull out your venmo venmo me, you know, show me the money. Damn it show me the money I’m worth it. You’re worth it. Artists are worth it. Period.

41:44.94
charukaarora
Ah, yes yes I loved that water is strong closing I loved that. Thank you so much. Ashley thank you so much. But I have 1 more thing before I let you go I know we are short in time.

41:56.69
ashley longshore
I Love it I Love it.

41:59.39
charukaarora
Ah, small rapid fire just to have a little bit of more fun. Perfect I’m going to pull my questions together. Okay, this or that okay are you ready? Are you a day night or ah.

42:11.59
ashley longshore
I’m so ready.

42:15.88
charukaarora
a day or a night person your preference choice of greeting day.

42:17.20
ashley longshore
Day day a hundred percent day I wake up I wake up very early in the morning I go hard all day long. Sometimes I get to bed at Eight o’clock at night and I’ll sleep for for.

42:27.48
charukaarora
Oh my goodness.

42:31.30
ashley longshore
Oh yeah I sleep like a baby then I wake up and I go I go hard hard hard.

42:36.91
charukaarora
Oh Wow Okay, ah music or silence. What’s your zone of creating music so you have like what kind of music. Do you listen.

42:41.40
ashley longshore
Music.

42:46.92
ashley longshore
Ah, my god I have lists that I’ve curated all the way from the cure and harry styles to roshien Murphy to Ella Fitzgerald I mean I listen to music all day every day it’s oh no I have it but I’ll listen to that after ah.

42:59.72
charukaarora
Have you listened to indian classical because we spoke about India oh my god ah.

43:06.46
ashley longshore
I mean I do I do go through periods where I listen to like you know Robby Shankar I love sitar I love the bollywood music like I I love that? yes.

43:11.94
charukaarora
Yes, that is all I was about to say like bollywood music would be like your your wife like it’s it’s going to be and punjabi music indian pijapi it’ll be like indian punjabi music is something I’ll send you something I’ll Instagram you I’ll send you my picks. Okay.

43:19.37
ashley longshore
It is.

43:25.17
ashley longshore
Okay, please please.

43:31.70
charukaarora
Inspiration or creativity your first choice.

43:37.96
ashley longshore
Oh well, you can’t have one without the other I mean you have to you have to have the inspiration before you can be creative. Um, yeah for me inspiration.

43:52.88
charukaarora
New inspiration all this. Okay, what is the worst advice you’ve ever received so far in your career.

43:55.43
ashley longshore
Always.

44:04.22
ashley longshore
Oh you know people telling me what I should and should not say shouldn’t should not do do this do that be anything but me, um, you know, changing who I am to you know Um I mean I’ve I’ve heard some pretty crazy stuff. Ah, change the signature on my painting. Um, ah, don’t tell people my name is Ashley go by a like it just you wouldn’t believe the things inner people have interjected on me. Um, so so instead of saying my the worst thing anybody’s ever said I’ll just say always be true to yourself.

44:23.43
charukaarora
Surely.

44:31.42
charukaarora
God.

44:38.72
charukaarora
Love that you’ve answered you’ve already answered my upcoming question. Okay can you can you share a moment I Love this question something that’s very close to your heart so far in your career a moment that felt like okay.

44:40.90
ashley longshore
You know that’s the best advice I can give you.

44:46.16
ashley longshore
Oh.

44:57.42
charukaarora
What you’re doing so far. Really everything makes sense like we all have those moments like teeny tiny moments.

45:03.89
ashley longshore
I think um, my scholarship program that I have now that I do through the young Arts Foundation is one of the most fulfilling incredible things that I’ve done and I’m going to grow this and. Do everything I can to keep fueling arts and creativity but being able to give someone an unrestricted scholarship last year. It was to an incredible performer named Blaine Krauss who’s in musical theater and he is so talented. And I gave him a scholarship in honor of my friend. Patrick Hale who passed away and then this year is a photography and theater scholarship in honor of my friend Alex Edmondson Martinez who unfortunately passed away from cancer. She was a very dear friend. So I mean you know for for me. Yeah.

45:50.75
charukaarora
Poem says by.

45:55.29
ashley longshore
Sucks. But it’s you know, being able to honor people that I’ve lost being able to continue their legacy to talk about art and to take the money that I’m making and to then give it back into the creative community and to keep this thing going. You know that’s that’s the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. Oh my God It feels so good.

45:56.19
charukaarora
Yeah.

46:10.71
charukaarora
Magical. Yes, oh my God I Love that it sounds so magical like I think the feeling to make that happen like to see that ruling I think how special would that be.

46:13.33
ashley longshore
I can’t wait till I can give away millions of dollars that’s my goal.

46:24.39
ashley longshore
Oh I’m gonna do no, It’s gonna be because I’m gonna do it.

46:26.41
charukaarora
Okay, 1 last question we’re all here for you. We’re all here for you one last question. What is the one one piece of advice you would want to which you’ve already done but I still want to ask you. 1 piece of advice for anyone who’s listening to this episode who look up to because there are a ton of those people you know that and women specifically.

46:46.12
ashley longshore
I Yeah I I think that this is universal and I’ve said it earlier in our podcast but to have that inner Monologue to tell yourself why you can not why you cannot why. You can do anything Not why you’re going to get pushback or be misunderstood. Why the joy of a day is full of unbelievable surprises. This is what life is all about it could rain money. It could be a shit storm shit makes the best fertilizer. It’s all going to be Okay, this This is so important this is the greatest relationship that we have this with ourselves the the we spend more time with ourselves than any other person in the World. We know ourselves better than anybody else be kind to yourself. You are creative. Be kind to yourself. You are.

47:36.58
charukaarora
Hello died.

47:43.36
ashley longshore
Special Be kind to yourself because the world needs you that is my greatest advice.

47:48.10
charukaarora
Thank you so much I think oh my god it just spoke to me and I I hope anyone who’s listening to this I I think I just I had a very hard day today I have to take a decision very out of my lead. Still doubting myself. But I also know the dream that I have I need to take that leap and just what you said? It’s only pushed me like given me that courage like you know I need like I need to believe more in myself instead of thinking like why things can’t work out why think can work out.

48:24.42
ashley longshore
Right? You have the choice to think about it any way you want, you might as well think about it in a positive way and maybe a positive way means that the answer would be no to them because it doesn’t feel right to you? Maybe the answer is yes because you want to.

48:38.39
charukaarora
Yeah.

48:42.48
ashley longshore
See what happens and you’re willing to do the work but you’ll make the right decision as long as you’re kind to yourself. Yes, thank you I can’t wait to come see you I can’t wait to see you in India I am I am.

48:45.67
charukaarora
Listen to yourself. Yes, thank you so much. Ashley thank you so much I am very very grateful to you and I really appreciate your time you have to and I’ll I’ll have this pace. It’s still not set up.

49:01.57
ashley longshore
Um.

49:05.12
charukaarora
But I know when you are going to beat. It’s it’s going to be full of art. It’s going to be buzzing and it’s you’ll see India a little India here. Thank you so much. Thank you, you’ll have to once I’ll just you’ll have.

49:12.00
ashley longshore
I cannot wait. Thank you so much I Really appreciate this. Okay back.