“When you’re out on your own you can get lonely and sucked into the vortex of self-doubt and discouragement. It’s so refreshing to find those other kindred spirits, who are also riding the crazy roller-coaster that is owning your own business.” According to Ashley of Ashley Bush Calligraphy & Lettering, the best part of The Big Fake Wedding experience is connecting with the other small business owners, and that makes our hearts very happy. Not only is Ashley as sweet as can be, but she is more talented than you can imagine. Ashley is one of those rare breeds of talent in that she actually taught herself everything she knows – and it’s seriously working for her. It was truly an honor working with Ashley at The Big Fake Wedding Charlotte, and we can’t wait to see what she scribbles up next!
“Ashley is fantastic. She has this ridiculously creative mind, fabulous products, and is also willing to help out at the drop of a hat. We actually misplaced our ‘Magazine Library’ sign on the day of our Charlotte event, and Ashley whipped one up for us (that was way more awesome than the original) in about five minutes. She’s the best!”
The Big Fake Wedding Charlotte Team
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Describe Ashley Bush Calligraphy & Lettering in five words or less.
Calligraphy/Lettering for events & businesses.
Who or what inspires you?
Color, vintage typography, hand-painted signs, tactile arts, nature, texture. There are too many inspiring artists to name, but a few of my top faves are Egon Schiele, Jessica Hische, Oana Befort, Anne Robin.
Why calligraphy?
I’m a graphic designer, and have been practicing and studying art for a long time, so calligraphy evolved kind of naturally for me. I go through obsession phases, and at one point I was obsessed with hand-painted signs and was trying to find an apprenticeship to learn how to paint signs for trucks and store fronts and it was during all that research that I stumbled upon some amazing letterers and calligraphers. Calligraphy, while it is a bit of dying art, has been resurrected in recent years, providing much more information out there on the subject than all the other dead arts I’m attracted to. So I took Melissa Esplin’s I Still Love Calligraphy course and practiced like every day for a year and for some reason this obsession stuck. I had that moment of “ohhh, this is it!” and started my own lettering business. I also recently started a branding & web design company with my brother, nineteen54, utilizing my lettering skills for beautiful logos & brand work! Things are getting crazy over here!
You do a fantastic job at balancing a small business and being a new mom. How do you do it all and do it well?
It doesn’t feel like I’m doing a fantastic job a lot of the time. Like right now my teething baby is over-tired and screaming in his crib. But what’s great about babies is that they wake up really early, like REALLY early – so I’m forced to start my day at 6:00 am. I also try to make the most of nap times, my sister watches him for a couple hours a week, and I get some stuff done after he goes to bed (which is also early). My husband’s an artist too and he’s currently getting his Master’s so we sit on the couch after dinner and he does homework while I work. It’s not easy but that was the appeal in venturing out on my own; I can say no to life-sucking projects, or I can get up and take Micah for a walk if I want to. I am the master of my own destiny!
What is your favorite part of The Big Fake Wedding experience?
My favorite part of the Big Fake Wedding experience is meeting other small business owners. When you’re out on your own you can get lonely and sucked into the vortex of self-doubt and discouragement. It’s so refreshing to find those other kindred spirits, who are also riding the crazy roller-coaster that is owning your own business. The time before the event is my favorite, everyone’s working and assembling and helping each other out. It’s really cool. My 2nd favorite part was getting a full 8 hours worth of sleep 😉
Photo Credits:
Turquoise and Palm | Personal (2 +5) | Laura Hernandez Photography | Bronwyn Duffield Photography
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