Ashley Royer

Art, to me, is a visual celebration of culture and storytelling. My work is inspired by the memories and tales of my childhood, weaving nostalgia and fantastical narratives together to create imagery that invites viewers not only to look, but to feel. From pyrography to illustration and painting, I am drawn to wood and paper for their natural origins and organic textures. These materials allow me to honor a lifelong relationship with the natural world, one shaped by growing up among pine trees in the Kisatchie Forest and the Wayne National Forest, where imagination thrived in open spaces and quiet moments of wonder. Trees have continually guided my creative life, from early memories in the woods to my present-day work alongside the Sallier Oak. Much of my work is rooted in themes of magic, folklore, and the unseen worlds we carry with us. I continue to believe in faeries, miracles, and the quiet enchantment that exists within everyday life, and I seek to preserve that sense of wonder through my art. My practice is intentionally slow and meditative, allowing time, repetition, and focus to shape each piece. Through this process, I find a sense of grounding and presence, and I invite viewers into that same space, one where imagination, memory, and emotional resonance can unfold gently and without urgency.