Ash Pierce Returns for her Eleventh Scrawl in Franklinton

By Nicholas Dekker, marketing, communications and events administrator at the Greater Columbus Arts Council

Columbus artist Ash Pierce returns for the eleventh time to the Franklinton Arts District’s Scrawl 2025 on Sept. 20-21. During the festival, dozens of local artists create murals live, accompanied by live music, vendors, food trucks and neighborhood restaurants. We chatted with her about her work, inspirations and her experiences with Scrawl.

Nick: How did you get started in your art form? What do you remember about first being intrigued by it?
Ash: My artistic style happened when I stopped looking for it. Once I let go of judgment and expectation I began to develop my voice as an artist. I have always enjoyed working on cardboard because of the base color it gave me and the affordability (I could literally pull my canvas out of the trash). Once I matured a bit more in my style it made sense to transition to wood for the same background tone and to increase the longevity of my pieces. On wood I could also use lots of different mediums without worry of being too rough for the canvas, and this led to incorporating the Dremel tool to add carved detail.

Nick: Who are some of your inspirations?
Ash: Artists that take you by surprise and transport you when you look at their work I find incredibly inspiring. Cody Heichel comes to mind instantly; his paintings are like reaching deep into memory where you can suddenly feel the rug at your grandparents’ house on your bare feet when you were a kid. I’m always so excited to see what magic he’s creating and where it will take me.

Nick: What question do you get asked most often about your art, and how do you answer?
Ash: When people find out I’m an artist and I’m asked, “What kind of art do you do?” I honestly haven’t found a satisfactory answer to that yet. It’s much easier at Scrawl where the work can be seen as it’s created and then I get a lot of questions about the materials I use. When I’m in my home studio I work with watercolor on wood, but at Scrawl I use a watered down acrylic paint. There’s been so much trial and error over the years I am constantly learning and shifting and always happy to share and answer any questions to the best of my ability. I especially love when people tell me what they interpret or feel from my work.

Nick: How have you been involved in Scrawl in past years? What are you doing for it this year?
Ash: It’s crazy to think that this will be my eleventh time participating in Scrawl. It’s been wonderful to see Franklinton and Scrawl grow up together and I’ve done a lot of growing in that time, too! My first Scrawl I painted with my then-studio mate Alicia Jean Vanderelli and our panel could be seen on The Vanderelli Room for several years after. I’m not sure I would have had the guts to try Scrawl solo if she hadn’t been there leading the way that first year. Since then Scrawl has been a place I get to step outside my comfort zone and continue to grow and push myself artistically. My work typically showcases my more somber side, so I enjoy the challenge to bring something a bit more light and positive to Scrawl. I’m hoping to bring that energy again this year.

Nick: What do you like most about the event?
Ash: There are many great art events and festivals in Columbus but Scrawl is the only one where all the art on display is being actively made. Attendees all get a backstage pass, a chance to look behind the curtain and see the magic unfold in real time. The nature of the event encourages conversation between the audience and artist as well as artist and artist. There are no secret techniques or guarded methods, everyone is open and sharing and it’s truly beautiful. For those of us that have been participating or attending for a long time it’s a bit like a family reunion with new comers that bring a fresh take every year.

Nick: What’s on your current playlist?
Ash: When I’m in my studio I have an art making playlist that features various artists who carry a dreamy somber folk sound like Patrick Watson, The Velvet Underground, Nico, Simon and Garfunkel, and Sigur Ros, to name a few. During Scrawl I’m really looking forward to leaving the headphones off this year and vibing to the amazing music lineup. Lydia Loveless is closing it out on Sunday, bringing the perfect end to what is sure to be a Scrawl to remember.

Nick: What are some of your favorite things about Columbus?
Ash: I love how Columbus blends art, food, music and community. You can find many of these things in other cities individually but Columbus has a knack for offering places that give you a multidimensional experience. Law Bird located at 740 South High Street does this beautifully with changing menus that are visually stunning and serve up that artistic vision through your taste buds. The connected trio of galleries on Gay Street which include Lindsay Gallery, Chaos Contemporary Craft and Brandt Gallery showcase art and artist with a multitude of mediums and voices. If you’re bored in Columbus I’m sorry, but it’s your own fault. There’s always something exciting to see, hear and taste.

Catch Ash and other local artists creating murals live during Franklinton Arts District’s Scrawl 2025, Sept. 20-21.

This article is part of a bi-weekly column brought to you by the Greater Columbus Arts Council as part of the Art Makes Columbus campaign. Explore a calendar of events, public art database and artist stories at columbusmakesart.com. To learn more about GCAC grants visit gcac.org.