Artist feature: Heather Ainsley

Ashley Hunter
ECB Publishing, Inc.

Heather Ainsley is one of the talented minds of Jefferson County who use their creative abilities to construct beautiful works of art.

Ainsley, who moved to the county from Palm Beach, Fla., says she has been immersed in the arts since she was a child and that the charm of creating has always been an aspect of her family life.

“I come from a family of artists,” said Ainsley. Like most artists, she says, her family's artistic gifts were something they kept relatively private, but vibrant nonetheless.

“I remember loving to watch my dad paint as a kid, or to see my mom design and do her own tattoos, but when they did their art, it always felt like 'their time.'” Ainsley explains. “My grandfather and grandmother also were artists, and my older sister makes amazing dream-catchers and draws, even now. But growing up wasn't as saturated in the arts as it might sound; my parents kept their own conceptions of what art is to themselves.”

Surrounded by artists, Ainsley was given the freedom to experiment with her own brand of art; she was given supplies, inspired to create on her own terms and allowed a space that permitted her to “figure out” what art meant to her without the influence of adults telling her how art should exist.

So, naturally, art was something Ainsley fell in love with at a young age.

She can remember a time when she was young, creeping out of her bed at 4 a.m. and turning on her family's television set. Ainsley said she would lower the volume to silent so it would not wake her still-sleeping family, and she would watch Bob Ross' painting shows.

“I was fascinated by these artists who could create such beautiful images from seemingly nothing as if the images were somehow inside of them and they had found a way to bring those images out for everyone to see,” recalls Ainsley. “It made me wonder what images were inside of me, and if I could ever figure out how to show those images once I found them.”

From that young age, Ainsley says she delved into her own exploration of artistic expression and has found a way to translate her own concept of art in the beautiful creations that she produces.

While she does not have a studio at home, Ainsley has made a place within her abode for her art to exist, where she can be found dabbling in her varied mediums.

“I work with watercolor and acrylic paint for my paintings on both watercolor paper and stretched canvas, pencils and paper for my sketches, pyrography (wood burning) and I make concrete leaves that I hand-paint and weather-seal,” says Ainsley, adding that she has also begun to experiment with digital mediums.

More often than not, Ainsley says she can be found drawing, but she does not consider any of her mediums to be more valued than the other.

“I find myself constantly pulled between each different medium equally. For example, when I haven't wood burned for a while, I'll just get this urge to create, and it is hard to focus on sketching or painting when that craving hits. This feeling alternates between all of my different mediums, so I am never too focused on any one genre for too long.”

This flowing exchange between her differing mediums has allowed Ainsley to express her style in a variety of ways – from forest creatures burnt onto wood plaques to vividly painted landscapes that seemed to totter between realism and fantasy.

“Art for me is like an old friend. We artists are so full of emotions and passions and ideas, and they all sort of swirl around inside of us, until we discover a way of bringing them out. And when we do, we get to share that secret part of who we are with the world, and it is liberating and really scary all at once,” explains Ainsley. “An artist can take simple pigments and shapes and convey thoughts and feelings with them to others. I think art is just so powerful that way. The sheer fact that it is possible to share that type of connection with others is beautiful.”

Her art, Ainsley says, is created with a sense of whimsical delight that she hopes those who see it get to share and enjoy.

“I would like to think of my art as conveying a sense of calm and whimsy,” she says. “Dragons and flowers and pretty characters and beautiful animals are what make me feel calm and happy.”

Her art often features fantastical landscapes, regal stags, powerful dragons or mischievous elfin creatures, and it is all created in Ainsley's interpretation of the good and bad that balances the world.

While most of her art is light and playful, Ainsley says that “some other pieces might convey darker concepts,” and she finds that equilibrium incredibly important.

“I think that is important to illustrate the balance or presence of the good and bad in the world around us. I think we are all sort of searching for that balance within us.”

With that thought, Ainsley often finds inspiration in the world around her, saying that the sound of birdsong, the feeling of a refreshing breeze or the sight of a sunset can inspire her, but she's also inspired by other art – both physical and auditory – as well.

“A lot of times I will see something or hear something that makes me feel a certain way, and that feeling will just sort of fill me up until I feel this pull inside of me to create,” says Ainsley. “Music is also a great inspiration. It is an art form of itself. I think art as a whole inspires more art.”

In addition to those things, she has carried her childhood enjoyment in Bob Ross' art into her adulthood as an artist herself, saying that he remains one of her favorite artists.
From Ross, she models respect for her own art, remembering to not worry too much over the “rules” that frequently govern art and artists.

Like Ross, she also enjoys watching young artists, especially children, create.
“They are so unashamed of their feelings and emotions and are so proud of their work when they are finished, even if us grown-ups can't make out what their painting is of. If the sky is purple, it's purple. If the grass needs to be blue, they make it blue,” says Ainsley. “That confidence and self-pride are awesome to watch; I feel like when we grow up, we lose a lot of that, and that's a shame.”

Locally, Ainsley has been a vendor at several local festivals and sells her wood burnt art at the downtown Monticello shop, Unique Expressions, with a selection of other local artists and vendors.

When she isn't creating and finding new ways to identify the world through her art, Ainsley is a manager and head waitress at Monticello's Brickhouse Eatery or working on producing her first written novel.

She enjoys going on hikes with her boyfriend, Ben, and their two dogs – Bones and Ru, as well as kayaking, exploring new towns, visiting the beach, writing poetry or reading.
Ainsley has also been involved in animal-rescue within Jefferson County.

While she lives in Jefferson County now, Ainsley is a native of the Orlando area.
Those interested in following her art or purchasing pre-made or custom pieces can do so by visiting her art business' Facebook page, Art Enchanted, at Facebook.com/Hickoryheartworks.

You can also follow her on Instagram (@art.enchanted), TikTok (@artenchantedgirl) or YouTube (Art Enchanted).