THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM by Ashley Woodson Bailey

Ashley Woodson Bailey was raised in Corpus Christi, Texas before earning a BFA in Art History and Art from the University of Texas in Austin. She worked as a floral designer for two decades in Dallas, Houston, NYC, Savannah, Atlanta and Austin. As an artist, Ashley is defined fully and completely by the flower.  A self-taught photographer, Ashley sought to create a lasting flower arrangement through the lens of a camera after a life-changing accident in 2012 left her physically unable to create for large-scale events.

Bailey’s inspiration for this body of work was twofold: not only the sense peace and reflection that flowers impart to their admirers, but also the power they instill. “A lover’s hand delivering a bouquet of flowers after a fight. A coffin covered in the deceased most cherished blooms. A birthday surprise from an old friend. All of these moments are powerful and peaceful yet fleeting, just like flowers and just like our lives,” states Bailey.