CityView Magazine

Local Artist Writing the ‘80s. She is an artistic throwback, the sort who paints Tuscan landscapes and aspires to the skill level of the old masters. Fresh and energetic at barely 20 years old, she admires Botticelli and exudes a confidence exceeding her age. One quick flip through her sketchbook of exquisitely-drawn fairytale creatures shows she is undoubtedly made of creative fabric, but in speaking with her, it is her work ethic that astonishes. “It’s easy to be lazier these days and A not paint to the old skill level,” she said. “I think it’s amazing that so long ago people created such a higher level of artwork than we do now.” For someone so young, Wilson has a strong sense of history. A student at Wingate University, Wilson had been thinking about painting murals for quite some time. So, when her father pointed to an Italian setting – albeit on a placemat – and asked her if she could draw it in the eating area off his kitchen, she jumped at the opportunity. “I knew I could do it,” she said, also admitting there were a few nervous moments along the way. “Here I was, shley Wilson is something of a throwback, and not the kind who dons bell-bottom pants or listens to hits from Ashley Wilson may be young, but her dreams are large By Melissa Goslin Collins on the wall drawing on my dad’s wall. It was a little scary.” As for her art-collecting father, David Wilson, the mural is a daily source of pride. “There’s a Bob Timberlake hanging near the mural,” he explained. “No offense to Mr. Timberlake, but I actually prefer Ashley’s work.” A slight bias is forgiven a doting father but he promises there’s more to it than that. “I have a lot of canvases,” he said, “but it’s different when you see the artist draw it out. It’s such a warm feeling to watch it come alive right there, like magic.” Murals also open up a room and draw in the spectator in a way other original artwork cannot. This budding muralist is not only a talented visual artist but performing artist. She is studying art and vocal performance at Wingate. Growing up in Fayetteville, Wilson nurtured her operatic voice. “Cape Fear Regional Theatre was a huge part of my life, and I have to thank them for any performance skills I may have,” she said. “I lived there for a while.” Her teachers at Terry Sanford High School also took notice of her talent. Her teacher and mentor, Sandra Williams, encouraged Wilson to send out her work and with good result. An impressionistic scene landed a Gold Key at the Scholastic Art Awards then moved to the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. CityViewNC.com | 23 Opposite | A mural is an art form like no other; it has the ability to open up a room and draw in the spectator in a more personal way. Above | Ashley Wilson is not only a talented visual artist but a performing artist as well. She is studying both art and vocal performance at Wingate University.

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