{"id":35004,"date":"2024-07-29T11:58:42","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T09:58:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/ballito-umhlanga\/?p=35004"},"modified":"2024-07-29T11:58:42","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T09:58:42","slug":"playing-with-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/ballito-umhlanga\/blog\/2024\/07\/29\/playing-with-art\/","title":{"rendered":"Playing with art…"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ballito-based artist Ashleigh Francis has discovered a way to truly express herself.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\"Inspired, hardworking, and driven, Ashleigh has been creating and selling art since her high school days. However, it wasn\u2019t until four years ago that she fully embarked on her journey as a professional artist. Initially dreaming of becoming a psychiatrist, she studied psychology and worked as a mental health support worker in Australia. But the harsh realities of the field led to burnout.<\/p>\n

A FRESH START<\/strong>
\nIn 2020, Ashleigh returned to her hometown of Umhlanga for a holiday. When the pandemic struck, she found herself staying longer than planned. During this time, she realised she needed a change and was inspired to shift her career path. Two years ago, she relocated to Ballito and took a leap of faith to become a full-time artist, launching her brand, Soochi.<\/p>\n

THE BIRTH OF SOOCHI<\/strong>
\n\u201cSoochi is an umbrella brand for all the art I want to do,\u201d Ashleigh explains. \u201cTextured art is the signature look \u2013 it\u2019s playful and decorative.\u201d While her mixed media textured pieces are the heart of her brand, her style is ever-evolving. She draws inspiration from everyday textures, beach walks, shell collections, and her surroundings, which fuel her creative process. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of experimenting that happens along the way,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019ve learned to play with the process.\u201d<\/p>\n