About Me

Ashly Ann Bartholomew has always had art in her heart. She brings her experiences in the healing arts into her work as a mixed media artist. She is a Certified Licensed Massage Therapist Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master Teacher & Aroma Therapist. She graduated High School & Essex County Vocational Technical with a degree in Commercial Art & Graphic Design. She attended Ridgewood School of Art and Design.

Ashly studied with Carla Horowitz at Riker Hill Art Park in New Jersey. This study included working with clay and opened up a whole new dimension of creative expression for Ashly. This creative expression flowed into working with the metaphysical properties of gems and minerals and was the catalyst for making jewelry. Each piece holds different elements that find their way to people who would benefit not only from their beauty, but from the healing properties they carry.

In 2002 she met her husband Rick while scuba diving in Bonaire. They both have a passion for wild life and underwater photography. Rick continued to fuel Ashly’s artistic energy and encouraged her to continue her study and create a magnitude of expressive art… She closed her Day Spa and moved from NJ to CT. She studied with Jane Wier Davidian in the summer of 2010 and fully embraced that creating art is the armature of her life.

“This amazing fiber art journey of mine, all started with the mishap of learning you don’t cut trees down in the spring. This is a lesson well learned in many aspects. A nest took a tumble and we rescued 2 Blue Jays. My husband Rick and I learned how to rehabilitate wildlife back into the wild. It was a life changing event. I could go on for days about ‘Face’ and ‘Squeak’. But this brings me to the nature center. I spent a bit of time there and did some volunteer work. I’m meet an amazing woman who mentored me in wildlife rehab. She convinced me to do something I thought I never would…. sign up for a knitting class. She mentioned the teacher was a friend of hers and a very good teacher as well. She convinced me to try. Well I never thought I would end up a Connecticut house wife either so there I was, a knitten an’ a purlin. If my Jersey peeps could have seen me then! I was very curious about this spin thing they were talking about….and that nice teacher what was her name.. Pam Blasko form Dream Come True Farm, well she invited me into her home with a group of ladies to see this fascinating thing, Spinning ..yes fiber right into yarn. Can you believe it? What a romance I fell in love and the saga continues.”

“Most of my friends in the fiber arts, are farmers and they live in more rural areas. However, I do not, I live in a suburban area and cannot have larger animals. My mentor and dearest friend Pam, enlightened me to city farming which brings me to Angora Rabbits. I fell in love with their little souls and big energy almost immediately. I can tell you, I consider myself one of the most fortunate people on this planet, to have met Pam and been introduced to the Art of Spinning, the way she teaches it.”

“This adventure of fiber art is surrounding all that I create. The fiber is the center of my mixed media. The orifice hooks I make reflect the jewelry & pottery, bamboo hangers for weavings. The yarn bowls obviously bring the pottery in as well. The glass work finds its way as well. The real challenge for me is staying focused on one thing. I am a kid in a candy store. I look to my fiber artist heroes …. for their support and direction.”

I am on board, wind in my hair and my gaze to the horizon.

Ashly has her working studio in Milford, CT where she and her husband Rick enjoy their creative spirits together. To follow our continuing journey visit us and hey maybe like us on https://www.facebook.com/AshlyAnnsHandscom