Article by Melissa Airhart

Photos courtesy of Ashley Longshore

Bold. Fearless. Sparkly. Witty. Rebellious.

All are words that describe artist Ashley Longshore and her work. A New Orleans-based painter and entrepreneur, Longshore is the owner of the Longshore Studio Gallery located on Magazine Street. It is also the location of the artist’s workspace, where she creates visually decadent pieces that focus on pop culture, Hollywood glamour, and status and greed in America.

“I want to live in a world of laughter, color, sparkle and shine,” said Longshore. “Color makes me feel alive, sparkle makes me feel alive, shine makes me feel alive.”

In-your-face pop art paintings feature everything from super model Kate Moss as a nun to Winston Churchill throwing a peace sign with Care Bears in the background. “I am really exploring status, greed and living life as a woman in America,” said Longshore. “That includes some of the more crass pieces and images of women I think are beautiful and powerful.”

Her art has been exhibited in America and Europe and featured in magazines such as Forbes, Elle and Vogue. Longshore collectors include celebrity clientele such as Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz and Blake Lively. Friendships with celebrities, as well as her interest in pop culture and brands, have led to comparisons to another contemporary artist – Andy Warhol.

A retrospective of Longshore’s bedazzled works will be on display at the R.W. Norton Art Gallery in late May. It will be the first time her work is shown in Northern Louisiana. Emily Feazel, the designer of exhibits and special events, says despite Longshore’s international success, few in Shreveport are familiar with her art.

“I think anytime we can expose people to a new artist, it’s good,” said Feazel. “While everyone may not like her style or subject matter, art is meant to evoke an emotional response, and that’s what her art does – makes you think and question, and laugh and giggle.”

Longshore’s pieces are large in scale and adorned with jewels and glitter. Feazel says special exhibitions allow the museum to push the envelope a little bit, and visitors to the exhibit may be surprised by the content.

“She doesn’t shy away from anything, and some pieces have colorful language,” said Feazel. “I hope the museum is filled with laughter at how funny these pieces are.”

Feazel says the exhibit will include some brand-new works, as well as book covers from a past collection and a portrait of Audrey Hepburn from her series “The Audreys.” The exhibit will also include a video installation – a first for the Norton.

Some of Longshore’s other collections include her Labeled series, with works such as “There is no Crying at Bergdorf’s” and “Higher Than Jay Z,” and her Trophy series that focuses on how our culture associates money and name-brand possessions with happiness and power. Her Fashion Icons series includes portraits of Kate Moss and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

“I’m all about women because I am one. I understand women; I understand my own existence on this planet,” said Longshore. “I am really trying to capture the “now-ness” of being a woman. At the end of the day, having all this opportunity and being a woman in America – I just don’t think being a trophy wife is cool anymore.”

Paintings aren’t the only way Longshore expresses her creativity. She also designs furniture and accessories – like a collection of gemstone rugs based on her paintings, has a line of handbags, and a new book called “You Don’t Look Fat, You Look Crazy: An Unapologetic Guide to Being Ambitchous.”

Longshore also keeps interactions with buyers special and personal with a direct-to-collector paid subscription program called Artgasm. The monthly program gives 250 members access to four exclusive hand-signed pieces each year. Longshore says it’s a way to bring her work within reach of those who cannot afford to purchase more costly pieces.

Also known for her social media savvy, Longshore bypasses the traditional use of a gallery to sell her work. Instead, she has a virtual gallery on her Instagram feed for collectors and fans. It isn’t unusual for her work to be snapped up based on a glimpse posted there.

“The star of all this is me, and these paintings are just a small extension of it,” said Longshore. “It’s my job as an artist to create the world I want to live in. I’m bringing my thoughts to life.”

Longshore’s work can be enjoyed at the R.W. Art Gallery from May 27 through July 30. The artist will attend the opening party on May 26. The event is from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com.

–Melissa Airhart