Ashley Brianna Acton

ashleyactonart.com / adgpto@r.postjobfree.com / m. 616-***-****

Summary

Professional visual and performance artist who reflects interdisciplinary creative approaches with four years of experience in art exhibition, project management, curation, digital imaging, video production, community engagement, and social practice. Proven success managing large, full-scope projects with seamless collaboration and a sense of independence. Strong attention to detail, highly organized, and creative. My holistic and interdisciplinary thinking style allows me to successfully engage and deliver at all levels. My empathetic nature leads me to deeply consider space and community with cultural sensitivity and inclusivity. My passion is creating and holding space for the exploration of Self, environment, and community, which I express not only through my body and mind in my personal work but as a yoga teacher. Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Studies emphasis, 2018 Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI

Recipient of Oxbow School of Art and Artists Residency Scholarship, Saugatuck, Mi RYT 200 hour Nature Yoga Sanctuary, Chicago, IL

Qualifications/ Skills

● Critical thinker of space

● Intervention within existing social systems

● Ability to build strong relationships with a diverse range of people

● Skilled communicator with an excellent written, verbal and visual skillset

● Outstanding organization

● Adaptable and flexible

● Independent and self-starter

● Natural leader

● Team and project management

● Creative problem solver

● Full scope video, photography and projection production

● Lighting technology

● Design and fabrication

● Experienced in mold-making, casting, printmaking, sculpture, found object exploration, woodshop and metal shop

● Curation and installation

● Solo and group exhibitions

● Site-specific art

● Gallery Production

● Social media management and development

● Non-profit administration

● Catalog design

● Microsoft Office, Creative cloud, G Suite, WordPress, SurveyMonkey, HootSuite

● live performance artist

Experience

Art Prize Exhibitions Team - Housing Manager - Internship June 2016 - September 2016, Grand Rapids, MI

● Managed and created strong communication daily with artists and housing matches.

● Maintained mailing lists and artist database.

● Connected artists from around the world with housing matches.

● Managed Google form responses by organizing data into spreadsheets to compare artists with potential matches based on compatibility/needs of artists.

● Liaison between artists and housing matches

● Worked directly with the Exhibitions team to assist in volunteer organization and other administrative duties. Avenue for The Arts - Community Outreach Organizer - Internship January 2017 - May 2017, Grand Rapids, MI

● Assisted in planning community meetings and leadership workshops.

● Attended multiple city council and local neighborhood meetings and workshops.

● Workshops focused on; How to talk to authority figures and communicate with neighbors about community Issues, How to recognize your skills, strengths, weaknesses and work with others, Understanding systems - Knowing where to start / Creating a plan to solve neighborhood problems, working with people from a variety of backgrounds and interests.

● The goal of these workshops was to increase residents' voices in neighborhood issues, encourage relationship building between residents, and grow the leadership opportunities for all residents. Residents who attended all training could receive a stipend of $100 to create an event or activity of their choice.

● Evaluated and organized feedback from workshops using SurveyMonkey.

● Collaboration with stakeholders.

● Facilitated interviews with local residents.

● Promoted art shows, helped with set up and take down for exhibitions.

● created articles, press releases, and newsletters. Children’s Museum - Exhibitions volunteer- Fall 2017 / Toddler programming - Winter 2018, Grand Rapids, Mi

● Helped prepare for exhibitions by working in the woodshop to sand, prime, paint and cut various pieces

● Installed and de-installed multiple exhibitions - consisting of working from ladders, preparing lighting, extension cord coverage, painting and sanding on site, staging exhibitions, site-specific installations.

● Helped to monitor toddler time - set up daily activities, interacted and played with children, daily projects to prepare activities for the following weeks.

Cook Arts Center - Administrative work - Fall 2017 - 2018, Grand Rapids, Mi

● Collected and organized student data/enrollment information into spreadsheets.

● Liaison between school and parents for a summer youth programming. Acre Residency - Volunteered Winter 2019

● Various projects and studio/ gallery maintenance work. Cook Arts Center - Head of Summer Reading and Writing Program - summer 2018, Grand Rapids, MI

● Created daily lesson plans and taught 3 age groups of children. Groups ranging in size from 15 -20 students.

● Created a safe, engaging, creative, and explorative environment for students.

● Provided students with materials to fit my daily lesson plans.

● Explained and demonstrated lessons while incorporating mindfulness and creative inquiry.

● Provided individualized support to each student. Exhibitions and Performances

2019

Electric Forest Festival Character Performer - Nova Han Productions, Rothbury, MI Tour Guide Performer at Chance The Rapper’s, The Big Store - Album release popup, Chicago, IL Installation/breakdown assistant at Chance The Rapper’s, The Big Store - Album release popup, Chicago, IL Floral arrangements/installation assistant at Chance The Rapper’s, The Big Store - Album release popup, Chicago, IL Live Performance artist - Chicago Loop Alliance - Activate, Chicago, IL 2018

BFA Senior Thesis - Explorations of The Body - A Mended Place, Spiral Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI Curator - Fixed in Transit, Bend Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI Curator- Stuart B. and Barbara H. Padnos Gallery Juried show, Allendale, MI 2017

Living in my body, Intra/ngible, Allendale, MI

2016

Untitled, Urban Institute of Contemporary Art, BYOB, Grand Rapids, MI Group exhibition - Division Commerce, Urban Institute of Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI Group exhibition - ARE YOU CALM NOW, Urban Institute of Contemporary Art, Color of the Year presented by X-Rite Pantone, Grand Rapids, MI

Scrapshlashgrove, At The Plum Grove, Art Downtown presented at Cite Lab, Grand Rapids, MI Group exhibition - Real Spaces, Stuart B. and Barbara H. Padnos Gallery, Allendale, MI Group exhibition - Reflex, installation, Allendale, MI 2015

Scrapshlashgrove, At The Plum Grove, Grand Rapids, MI Untitled (print), Stuart B. and Barbara H. Padnos Gallery Juried show, Allendale, MI Public Presentations

Artist lecture, Grand Valley State University, 2018 Exhibition discussion for Explorations of The Body - A Mended Place, Spiral Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI Catalogue Launch and Discussion for Fixed in Transit, Bend Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI, 2018 Panel moderator for Intra/ngible, Allendale, MI, 2017 Publications

"Artist Talks" Grand Valley Lanthorn, 2018

“Community Building Through Resident Leadership in Hearthside”, The Rapidian, 2017 References

Jenn Schaub - adgpto@r.postjobfree.com

Director of Community Building & Engagement

Dwelling Place’s Neighborhood Revitalization Department Steffanie Rosalez - adgpto@r.postjobfree.com

Program Director

Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities

Sigrid Danielson - adgpto@r.postjobfree.com

Associate Professor

Art History

Grand Valley State University

Paul Wittenbraker - adgpto@r.postjobfree.com

Professor

Visual Studies and Foundations Grand Valley State University Meghan Moe Beitiks - adgpto@r.postjobfree.com

Visiting Professor

Visual Studies and Foundations Grand Valley State University

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