ABOUT THE ARTIST
ASHLEY ABBS
I make artwork that invites presence, reflection, and embodied stillness. My studio practice sits at the intersection of landscape, rhythm, and interior experience.
The places where the outer world meets our inner life.
My work is rooted in a lifelong study of nature’s patterns and informed by years of clinical practice in Five Element acupuncture.
This perspective shapes not only what I create, but how I see; allowing colour, composition, line, and gesture to become a language of inner attunement.
WHERE THE WORK IS ROOTED
Alongside my studio practice, I have spent years as a practitioner of Chinese medicine; listening closely to bodies and stories, & noticing the subtle interplay between emotion, environment, and experience.
This work taught me to honour:
the wisdom of nervous systems
the meaningfulness of quiet moments
the deep intelligence in cycles and change
the way beauty can hold us when we feel unsteady
In the studio, those lessons don’t fall away, they animate the work.
IN THE STUDIO
I work primarily in pastels, coloured pencils and mixed media, creating landscapes and florals that are meant to be lived with, not just seen. My pieces are invitations to slow down, to notice nuance, and to situate your own experience within something larger than the moment.
I don’t paint about emotions; I paint from a felt sense of place.
WRITING & BOOKS
In addition to making visual work, I write. My words explore the same themes that animate the studio; rhythm, presence, interior life, and the seasons of change. Reflections from the studio sometimes turn into essays, and some of these have become published work that invites readers to lean into their own inner landscapes.
My book, 5 Element Alchemy, explores these themes more fully — offering readers a way to understand their own rhythms through the lens of the Five Elements.
→ View the book
IF THIS WORK SPEAKS TO YOU
While people connect with my work in many ways, collectors and viewers often discover it during:
times of transition
moments asking for depth over resolution
periods of reflection, pause, or recalibration
My work sits with you in those places. Quietly, without hurry.
A FEW WAYS TO CONTINUE
MY FANCY OFFICIAL CREDENTIALS:
Registered Dr. of Acupuncture with the College of Acupuncturists of Alberta.
2003 Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from University of Calgary
2006 Diploma of Acupuncture from ACATCM
2006 Diploma of Traditional Chinese Medicine from ACATCM
2009 Clinical Excellence in Fertility Practitioner training with Randine Lewis.
2010 Fellowship with Acupuncture and TCM Board of Reproductive Medicine
2010 5 Spirits Mentorship with Lorie Dechar and Benjamin Fox
I live and work in Calgary, Alberta, on unceded Treaty 7 territory.
I’m a former competitive top 10 Canadian national ice dancer. I married my husband Sheldon in 2011, we welcomed our son (nicknamed E) in 2013.
When I’m not in the studio, my practice or writing, you’ll find me walking in nature, skiing, or pausing in quiet rooms of coffee and reflection.
