BIO
Ashleigh Sumner (b.1979) is a contemporary painter living and working out of East Oakland, CA. Sumner received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from Western Carolina University before moving west to Los Angeles in 2003 and then north to Oakland, California in 2017.
Sumner’s early artistic career is firmly rooted in theatre arts with professional credits in stage, independent queer film, and network television.
Notable public installations include a collaboration with 2K Foundations and NBA athlete, Damian Lillard. The project included the complete refurbishment of the Boys and Girls Club of Oakland’s basketball court and gymnasium. Sumner designed and installed two, 12ft x 24ft mixed media, murals applied directly to the basketball court floor. Additional collaborations with 2K Foundations include permanent installations for the Gameheads organization of Oakland.
Publications include the 2023 monograph, Hype Means Nothing. The book is three-year collaboration with photographer and designer, Shaun Roberts which documents the artist’s work and process from 2017 – 2023.
In 2020, Sumner created a definitive body of work as a visual diary of the Covid-19 pandemic. The collection of paintings was presented as a solo exhibition with the College of Marin titled, "Mortem | Renovamen: The Covid Diaries."
Notable museum exhibitions include the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art's, JUSTICE (2020) curated by Karen Jenkins-Johnson. Sumner’s painting, “American Idiot” was awarded Honorable Mention.
Curated exhibitions include "Street Preachers," an exhibition of the premier female street artists of Los Angeles. The exhibition was mounted with the support of The Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock and was awarded grants from the Los Angeles Arts Commission and the Pasadena Art Alliance.
Additional awards include winner of the Red Bull Curates Competition for Los Angeles. As a result, her work was highlighted in a special exhibition with SCOPE, Miami that year.
Ashleigh Sumner’s work can be found in both public and private collections throughout Europe and the United States.
ARTIST STATEMENT | BIO | CV
ARTIST STATEMENT
The foundation of my collaged paintings are scavenged from the discarded materials of urban life. I’m particularly drawn to articles with a history and existence of their own. Every repurposed sneaker box housed someone’s fresh, new pair of kicks. Each street poster is evidence of a collective experience or communal memory. These fragments of paper are a study of the cultural remains we leave behind. Once these materials are collected from the outside world, they are torn apart, deconstructed, and transformed into multilayered collages imprinted with the DNA of the landscape they were harvested from. My process is about breaking down, ripping apart, painting over, washing away, and rebuilding a material (and its meaning) into something new. It’s a physical cycle that echoes my blue-collar roots yet allows for both an honest investigation of myself and the intemperate society we live in. At first glance, my paintings may appear as if they are worn down and disintegrating. From a different perspective, a new visual appears on the verge of breaking through. Ruin or rebirth. This is an overarching theme in my work symbolic of the precipice our society currently stands at politically and socially. It’s the exploration of this definitive moment that keeps me pushing forward in my work.
The paintings of Mark Bradford, Robert Rauschenberg, and Mary Weatherford are influences in my practice. Inspiration is also drawn from the authoritative language and politically charged paintings of Barbara Kruger. However, the greatest driver of my work originates with the stage. A background in theatre arts is responsible for my affinity toward the written word. Years as a performer provided a natural evolution of translating elements of text into the visual medium of painting. The foundational cornerstone to my practice is the narrative. Words have power. This understanding motivates the subtle, and not so subtle, messaging consistently printed within my work that explores issues of gender inequity, class, culture, and ideology. Ultimately, my practice is an abstract interpretation of our diverse ways of being in the world and our shared humanity. Or lack thereof.
CV
Ashleigh Sumner
b.1979 Raleigh, NC.
Lives and works in Oakland, CA.
Education
2002 – Bachelor of Theatre Arts, Western Carolina University - Cullowhee, NC
Publications
2023 - Monograph - HYPE MEANS NOTHING
Museum Exhibitions
2020 - Marin MOCA - "Justice" - Curated by Karen Jenkins-Johnson - Novato, CA
2020 - Marin MOCA - "Marin's Rock Art Scene" - Curated by Meghan O'Callaghan - Novato, CA
Public Installations
2K Foundations x Damian Lillard- Boys & Girls Club, Oakland, CA
2K Foundations x Gameheads – Gameheads lobby, Oakland, CA
The Claremont Hotel: Lobby – Oakland, CA
Microsoft Theater : VIP Room – Los Angeles, CA
Lectures
2024 - “I like Your Work” Podcast. Moderated by Gloria Ann Shows
Solo Exhibitions
2024 - “Touch The Sky” - Themes + Projects Gallery/Minnesota Street Project - San Francisco, CA
2020 - "MORTEM|RENOVAMEN: The Covid Diaries" - College of Marin - Kentfield, CA
2018 - "Come As You Are"- Julie Zener Gallery - Mill Valley, CA
2016 – "Written All Over Your Face" – Zener Schon Contemporary- Mill Valley, CA
2015 – "Horns & Halos" – Zener Schon Contemporary Art Gallery – Mill Valley, CA
2015 – High Lighted Artist of the Month – Art Walk Los Angeles – Los Angeles, CA
2014 – "Graffiti Ballads" – I820 Industrial Street Gallery – Los Angeles, CA
2012 - "Street Wise" – Artamo Gallery - Santa Barbara CA
2010 – "TenaCITY” – Gochiss and Advocate Gallery – Los Angeles, CA
2010 – “Urbanite" – A.Muse Gallery – San Francisco, CA
2010 – "Urban Inspiration" – Dezart Gallery – Palm Springs, CA
2009 – "City Scapes" – DCAC Gallery – Fresno, CA
Duel Exhibitions
2023 - “ACHTUNG!” - Mees-Van De Wiele Galerie, Aalst, Belgium
2020 - "Visual Response" - Julie Zener Gallery, Kentfield CA
2013 – "Silence" – Victor Saavedra Gallery, Barcelona Spain
Group Exhibitions
2024 - “Fire In Her Eyes” - Kvasnevski Schwartz Projects, New York, NY
2023 - “Worth The Detour” - Detour Gallery, New York, NY
2023 - Grand Opening - Mees-Van De Wiele Galerie, Aalst, Belgium
2018 - "GRIT"- Detour Gallery and Canvas Miami Gallery - Miami, FL
2018 - "Clash" - Detour Gallery - Red Bank, NJ
2015 – Group Exhibition – Zener Schon Contemporary, San Francisco, CA
2014 – Red Bull Curates – Mack Sennett Studios – Los Angeles, CA
2014 – Open Show Curated by Jenny Gheith SF MoMA, Gallery 825 – Los Angeles, CA
2013 – “New Style Collage” – Artamo Gallery – Santa Barbara, CA
2013 – “Words On Printed Page” – 825 Gallery – Los Angeles, CA
2013 – “3 W” – Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock – Los Angeles, CA
2012 – “Street Preachers” – Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock - Los Angeles, CA
2012 - “Zero Hour” – Whole 9 Gallery - Culver City, CA
2012 - “Out There” – Gallery 825 – Los Angeles, CA
2011 – “City & Society” – Artspace Warehouse – Los Angeles, CA
2011 – “Group Exhibition” – Victor Saavedra Gallery – Barcelona, Spain
2011 – “Young and Powerful” -Official Obama Fundraiser – Los Angeles, CA
2011 – “Urban Grid” – Artamo Gallery – Santa Barbara, CA
2011 – “Pop Up” – Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock – Los Angeles, CA
Art Fairs
2023 - Art Market, San Francisco - TAG Fine Arts, London, U.K.
2019 - Art Market Hamptons - Evan Lurie Gallery, Carmel IN and Boca Raton, FL
2019 - Art Market San Francisco - Julie Zener Gallery - Mill Valley, CA
2019 - Affordable Art Fair, New York - TAG Fine Arts, London, U.K.
2019 - Art Palm Springs, Art Plex Gallery - Los Angeles, CA
2019 - London Art Fair, TAG Fine Arts - London, U.K.
2018 - Affordable Art Fair, NYC- Evan Lurie Gallery - Carmel IN
2018 - Affordable Art Fair, London Battersea - Tag Fine Arts - London U.K.
2018 - Affordable Art Fair, London Hampstead - Tag Fine Arts - London, U.K.
2018 - Affordable Art Fair, Hong Kong - Tag Fine Arts - London, U.K.
2018 - Affordable Art Fair, NYC - Artspace Warehouse - Los Angeles, CA
2018 - Art Palm Springs - Artspace Warehouse Gallery - Los Angeles, CA
2017 - Red Dot Miami - Evan Lurie Gallery - Carmel IN
2017 - Art Market Hamptons - Evan Lurie Gallery - Carmel IN
2017 - Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong - TAG Fine Arts, London U.K.
2017 - Affordable Art Fair London - TAG Fine Arts, London U.K.
2017 - Art Market San Francisco - Evan Lurie Gallery, Carmel IN
2017 - Boca Raton Contemporary Art Fair - Evan Lurie Gallery, Carmel IN
2017 - Affordable Art Fair New York - Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles CA
2017 - Palm Springs Contemporary Art Fair - Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles CA
2017 - Palm Beach Art, Antique & Jewelry Show - Evan Lurie Gallery, Carmel IN
2017 - Palm Beach Contemporary Art Show - Evan Lurie Gallery, Carmel IN
2016 - Spectrum Miami - Detour Gallery, Red Bank, NJ
2016 - SCOPE, Miami - Evan Lurie Gallery, Carmel IN
2016 - Red Dot, Miami - Evan Lurie Gallery, Carmel IN
2016 - Affordable Art Fair, Singapore - Tag Fine Arts, London U.K.
2016 - New York Art, Antique & Jewelry Show - Evan Lurie Gallery, Carmel IN
2016 - Affordable Art Fair, NYC - Evan Lurie Gallery, Carmel, IN
2016 - Affordable Art Fair Battersea, London - Tag Fine Arts, London U.K.
2016 - Art Aspen - Zener Schon Contemporary - Mill Valley/San Francisco, CA
2016 – Art Hamptons – Artspace Warehouse - Los Angeles, CA
2016 – Affordable Art Fair, Hong Kong – Mark Jason Gallery, London U.K.
2016 – Affordable Art Fair, NYC – Artspace Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA
2016 – LA Art Show – Art Unified -Venice, CA
2016 – London Art Fair, London – Mark Jason Gallery, London U.K.
2015 – Affordable Art Fair, London – Mark Jason Gallery, London U.K.
2015 – Affordable Art Fair, NYC – Artspace Warehouse Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2015 – San Francisco Art Market – Zener Schon Contemporary, San Francisco, CA
2015 – LA Art Show – Mugello Contemporary – Los Angeles, CA
2014 – SCOPE, Miami – Red Bull Curates – Miami, FL
Awards
Winner, Red Bull Curates Competition – LAX
Honorable Mention - awarded by curator Karen Jenkins-Johnson - JUSTICE, Marin MOCA
Curated Exhibitions
“Street Preachers" – Center for the Arts Eagle Rock
Grants Received
Pasadena Art Alliance – “Street Preachers”
Los Angeles Arts Commission – “Street Preacher
PRESS
San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco CA
Artist Talk Magazine, London UK
Arte Al Limite, Santiago, Chile