A New Type of Appalachian Artist

What do you think of when you think of Appalachian art? Some intricate wood carving, maybe paintings of mountainous landscapes or a homemade quilt. 

Ashley Marincil is a 20-year-old artist from the heart of Appalachia in eastern Kentucky, and she is changing the idea of Appalachian art by bringing her own perspective to modern, creative mediums. 

“I’m an artist to the core, and it’s something that I allow myself to express freely. There’s an excitement to the idea that I can create something new every day,” Marincil said.

With this passion and drive for creativity, Marincil hopes to make this her full-time job sometime in the future. 

“I’ve always wanted to incorporate art into my career, but I always heard the ‘starving artist’ rhetoric,” Marincil said. “I realized this mindset towards having a career as an artist, especially with our access to technology and social media. So I decided to sell my art, and started taking my hobby seriously about two and a half years ago.”

Marincil now has an Etsy shop named Freaky Delirious Art to pursue her art in a more serious way.

“I’m also an entrepreneur at heart. I want to be my own boss and freely live life to my schedule,” Marincil said. 

In light of this artistic and entrepreneurial spirit, Marincil has dabbled in many different mediums including painting, drawing, and fashion and jewelry design. She creates everything from hand-painted custom tees and paintings to stickers to wall hangings. 

Marincil’s art breaks away from the stereotype of Appalachian art not only in medium but also in the subject matter and design of the art itself. 

While Marincil said she gets inspired by nature and people, something most Appalachian artists draw inspiration from, she brings a different view on the subject matter than the typical landscape painting. Much of her paintings are very colorful and vibrant with a bit of a creepy twist. 

“I love creating strange and weird visuals with abnormal features. I’m inspired by the ordinary which I put my own artistic twist on: my own universe,” Marincil said.

Marincil said her favorite piece is a 16 by 20 acrylic painting titled “Roads Less Traveled” does a great job of showing how successful this strategy can be for her.

“This was a time when I wasn’t fully indulged in my art, and this project pulled me out of the mud. I went full force on this project and really committed to the ideas that I had been sitting on for a while,” Marincil said. “The background changed several times before I found my rainbow lady and the perfect little realm. It always comes together in the end.”

Marincil’s work is so unique that words can’t really capture it, she said. 

“I don’t know exactly how to express my art in a couple words, because it is always changing. I try not to box myself into any category,” Marincil said.

While Marincil is an artist from Appalachia, her art expands beyond the mountains with something for everyone whether it is a custom tee or a new laptop sticker. Though there isn’t quite a label for her work, Marincil’s talent and work show a perspective like no other. If you are interested in seeing more of Marincil’s work or her new projects, you can visit the Freaky Delirious Art Facebook page or her Etsy shop!

• Appalachian
• art
• creativity
• design
• drawing
• features
• painting