Local artist named Phoenix Magazine’s Best of the Valley

Phoenix Magazine named Ashley Macias, a local artist and muralist, its Best of the Valley: Surrealist for 2020 for her colorful, large-scale fantastical-style works, which can be spotted on the rooftop deck of the Cambria Hotel or at Lacuna Kava Bar. Horizonte host José Cárdenas spoke with Macias for more.

Macias is a self-taught artist who “always wanted to paint and create in some way.” Ashley sold her first pencil drawings of aliens for 25 cents to her grade-school classmates during recess. And now, years later, her work can be found in much grander-scale mural throughout downtown Phoenix.

“My work is constantly changing,” she said. Usually her work falls under surrealistic, and is connected with nature and the “metaphysics” of humanity and the human construct.

She describes her art as “trippy,” but not all of her art follows this. Recently, she was part of a large-scale Black Lives Matter mural.

“As my art progresses, I definitely want to go bigger,” she said, to reach a greater audience.

She said her art is not typically gendered, but rather a representation of the complicated beings humans are. Another influence on her art being family roots in Mexico. These inspirations can be seen in her vivid and textile contour imagery, such as her work at the Golden Margarita.

You can see more examples of her work on her Instagram page.