Description
Hardhat photo on canvas. Ships for $50 to continental US
Hi! My name is Ashley and I’d like to share a little bit of my back story which plays a big role in my work.
Early Life
I was raised in a small rural town in North Carolina in a poor, religious and close-minded household. Love and affection were hard emotions to show for my family. I know they did the best they could with what they knew.
With that said, I grew up never fully understanding what love really looked like until the moment I laid eyes on my two boys. I knew in that very moment I never wanted them to feel like I felt growing up.
Their father ended up getting addicted to prescription medications from a surgery he had. The addiction eventually led him to prison. Soon I was a young single mom raising two kids, working multiple jobs and living paycheck to paycheck. I gave them the best life I could at the expense of my own mental health.
Working Hard
I worked hard for many years, and a couple of years ago I was able to buy my first house. It was a very proud moment for me. I wasn’t happy but I had a steady job that paid well, and a home I could call my own. By this time, I was physically and emotionally drained. I started looking into ways to help myself be a better version of myself. Picking up a hobby (my photography), I read a bunch of self-help books and followed every assignment. Through exercise and dance, I was learning self love. While giving my love to everyone else I had nearly lost myself.
The Transition
All the love I showed myself eventually opened my eyes to recognizing how truly beautiful the world really is. The life I was living wasn’t what I truly wanted for my kids, or myself. So, I quit my job, packed my house up and sold it. I started a new chapter in my life where I was the main character for once, to figure out who I am as a whole.
This journey eventually led me back to Florida. Florida has always felt more like home to me than North Carolina ever did. This is where my kids were born, and where my life actually began.
It’s my sincerest wish that those that view my work see and feel all the love that I hold inside.
Ashley Cortes
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