We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Moran and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, what matters most to you?

Honesty is the most valued trait to me because clear communication is necessary for me to have a comfortable relationship with anyone. I can’t stand a liar because it plays with my reality, and wastes my time which feels unnecessary. I think only emotionally matured people can keep it on the surface and present hard information to someone else for the benefit of both parties. This answer made me want to sage my contacts list, however.

 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

In the Fall of 2020, I had the opportunity to create illustrations for an article in Fort Worth Magazine. The article included drawing the downtown area and 8 images that needed to be cohesive and represent different topics throughout the written piece. It was crunch time, and I smashed it out of the park! I am always looking for creative projects or illustration work. I think I work best under pressure at times, even though I love great brainstorm. Another example working off the cusp was for Paxton Place Design, an interior design firm, on a large chalkboard earlier in the year. I wasn’t sure how the project was going to be executed until I showed up or how big the area would be, but I got to throw down naturally and showcase my talents off the computer and it came out great!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

Being from Boston, Massachusetts obviously showing my friend the best Mexican food while they are here is a must. I actually love the taco plate from Arrieros Mexican Food near my house and would probably go there on day one. The owner knows me by name, who doesn’t love that? Secondly, the Fabrication Yard in Dallas a free and legal art park and a must-see while visiting Dallas along with Four Corners Brewing Company. I absolutely love the Fort Worth Botanic Garden and zoo but would definitely be stopping by Leaves for tea, and Record Town while in the area. After soaking up some sun, I would go see Esther at Gifted and that would be the end of my friend’s travel allowance because that store is a show stopper. I am lucky to live near Guardado Garden Center, Archie’s Gardenland and now Grow! Woop woop for plants!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Most parents are not excited about having a kid as an artist because of where it might lead them financially. The starving artist stereotype is, somewhat true, but doesn’t have to be. I believe most things in life deliver results based on the effort of the individual, but support systems are so so important. My mother Joan never made me feel like doing what I liked or going down the path of the art was a mistake. She supported me financially, putting me in painting classes outside of high school, taking me to college tours without a peep of discouragement along the way and not everyone has that. It’s a bonus in life I got that others didn’t. My arts and craft projects when I was younger weren’t always pretty!

Website: https://ashleymoran.myportfolio.com

Instagram: chumpontherun

Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/chumpontherun

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.