Some artworks make us travel to unknown areas of our imagination. Spanish illustrator Ashenwave, draws surreal fantasies full of bright colors that let us enter the world of her dreams. Her plans and inspirations are just a part of what she told us about, so scroll down and get to know this mysterious artist.Â
What does Ashenwave mean?
It doesn’t really mean anything profound. It’s one of the first usernames I started using on the Internet when I was younger. I chose a combination of ‘ashen’ because I’m a very pale person and I only drew in black&white back then and ‘wave’ because it’s something dynamic that’s related to nature and I love expressing those things in my art.
Where do you live and what does your studio look like?
I live in Spain in a city near Madrid, the capital. And well, I don’t know if I have a ‘studio’. Very often I work from the sofa in the living room with my iPad and I have the computer in my bedroom to give my work some finishing touches.
What inspires you to create – is it your daily life or fantasies you have in your mind?
I have a very active imagination and I love listening to music. Almost all my works are inspired by music and the feelings it conjures in my imagination. I also live with chronic pain and anxiety disorder so my emotional state bleeds through to all my drawings.
Women play a big part in your art. Who are they?
They’re not someone specific, in most cases, they represent different parts of myself or my feelings I cannot express with words. I’m a very introspective person and I analyze myself all the time so that is reflected in my art.
Which artists had the biggest influence on your work?
My art has been evolving a lot the last few years but I can’t name only a few artists. When I was younger I loved the Art Nouveau style of Alfons Mucha. Now the influence comes mostly from my fellow artists on the Internet. I follow artists with great color vision and weird, surreal styles. If I have to name a few they would be Robbie Trevino, Tim Kaminski, Wylie Beckert, Miles Johnston, or Dániel Taylor.
I read that ‘Jellyheart’ is your favorite artwork of 2020. What makes it special to you?
It was one of my random thoughts and it ended up being just as I had imagined it. That doesn’t happen often in my art process, there are always a lot of things to change until I finish a piece. When I look at it, it evokes a strong feeling of peace in me. I can imagine myself there, floating there in the waves, holding something precious and magical.
Working from home isn’t easy, especially these days. What keeps you in a good mood?
That’s never been an issue for me. I’m like a hermit, I love being home all the time. When I’m feeling down I listen to my favorite music, read a good book o play video games to distract myself. Anything that feeds my imagination.
You create new designs regularly. How do you stay motivated for work?
Right now I have very little time to dedicate to art. Last October I went back to study to be a lab technician so now I’m fighting to do everything at once. I try to do at least one new illustration per week and it helps me relax from my studies, though it can be stressful sometimes.
What’s your biggest dream as an artist?
It would be nice to live from my personal art but at this point, I only want to share my work with the world and if it helps me make a living, so be it.
