A. M. Stockhill specializes in richly textured painting surfaces, and warm, earth-inspired colors. “Many of my paintings require twenty to thirty individual glazes of pigment in order to obtain the luminosity and emotional impact that I seek. Applying so many thin layers of paint allows the painting to glow from within and creates a sense of depth that draws the eye….”

Mixed-media work extends into the abstract and non-representational worlds, building upon early samples into series, such as her Earth series and Horse series. Where her Earth series responds both to the peace and the fury of nature, her Horse series presents the essence of the horse’s strength,beauty, passion and power.The mixed media work extends into the abstract world as well.

One innovative technique is the integration of very old books into her paintings. Once her canvas is stretched and sealed, the next step is to apply the pages, using acrylic medium to bind the pages to the canvas. She tries to find books that are at least eighty to one-hundred years old, preferring books that have a Western theme to complement the horses and other animals that she paints. Examples of books used are “The Virginian” by Owen Wister, and Western novels by Zane Grey. The books selected are ones that have lost their intrinsic value due to missing pages or damaged bindings. This way, the artist feels as if she is rescuing these pieces of history to incorporate into her paintings. Illustration is another passion. Illustrations are in a classic style to complement her collection of original children’s stories.

For the past two summers, Ashley has been following the art festival circuit where she is picking up a following of patrons as well as learning the ups and downs of marketing. Adventures include sudden and violent wind and rain storms, incredible heat as well as freezing cold, and a vehicle breakdown resulting in being towed into Spokane.

A. M. Stockhill is a graduate of the University of Montana school of art.