BOOKISH LEXTRUTHS:
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*My Mum, still an avid reader, named me for a book, 'Alexa', By Andrea Newman long before Google took it and named a house robot after me.
*When I was 10 years old I picked up a form for an illustration competition at my local library. The winner's image was to become the cover of a collection of short stories. I agonised over my image for hours, perhaps even days and eventually came to the conclusion my efforts were insufficient and so didn't hand it in. My dear Mum however, did and I won.
* My childhood friend and I spent hours of our time writing stories to each other in letter form. We also created our own written language complete with hand signs. She is now a very talented author.
*When we were 12, the same friend and I were selected go to a creative writing workshop at the National Gallery Of Australia with the incredible John Marsden and the awesome Brian Caswell.
* In 2016, My sister and I met Isobelle Carmody at the National Library of Australia, we were so nervous to meet such a legend in our esteem, we turned into weepy blubbering baboons. We were 30 and 35 years old.
* Some of my favourite authors (too many to mention all of them): Isobelle Carmody, Juliette Marillier, Julia Donaldson, Elyne Mitchell.
*Some of my Favourite illustrators (also, too many to mention all of them): Julie Vivas, Mae Besom, Jeannie Baker, Gail ArmKay Neilson.
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My Story
Alexa Ashton, born in Wagga Wagga, NSW Australia in 1982.
1982, The year of Rollerblades and CD players, Joe Cocker's 'Up Where We Belong', Willie Nelson's 'Always On my Mind' and Survivor's 'Eye of the Tiger'.
Also A year of epic films; E.T., Chariots Of Fire and Gandhi.
In the world of confectionary 1982 also witnessed the dawn of two incredible sweet treats: the Ferrero Roche and a super fancy dessert called the Viennetta.
Most significantly however, (in my humble estimation,) 1982 brought us the SMILEY face!
Not the horror film, and not quite the emoticon we would later come to love, but the smiley face.
I love me a smiley face!
I digress.
I, Alexa Peta Ashton, was born to a Dutch Mother and an English Father, in a house aptly named 'The Log Cabin' on a property down Plumpton rd. A dirt road in Wagga Wagga, on Wiradjuri Country.
I was born the third of four children, two beloved older brothers Paul and Mark and the other half of my heart, my younger sister, Pip.
We moved to Canberra in 1990 where we lived on a hobby farm on Ngunnawal Country and owned many animals.
I had the absolute privilege of attending a Rudolf Steiner School where my ever vivid imagination grew wings.
Art, animals and stories were my existence - coloured by wild and deep emotions that have been my close companions all my life.
I had a troubled time during my teenage years, and felt lost and alone a lot. Looking back now with the wisdom of hindsight however all I see, is how is miraculously I was been found by someone or something, so cheers to that Universe!
In my final two years of school despite advice to the contrary, I chose to study Art, Drama and English.
At 19 I traveled through Scotland and Paris with my darling bestie Sam.
After travelling I did a year of Nursing at Sydney University (which I discovered wasn't for me) and in my 20th year was accepted by audition to the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne. I studied there for 18 months, before signing with an agent and going to work as an actor.
After a few years of acting I missed art and so went to the College of Fine Art in Sydney and discovered a love for sculpture.
During my 18 months at COFA I met my now husband, whilst acting on a TV show in Queensland.
Together we moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting where we lived there off and on for five years.
I found LA challenging and acting in the industry there even more so. I decided to step back from acting and continue study. I went to the Cinema Makeup School in LA as a way to combine two loves: Art and Story. There i learned about taking a character from a page and developing their image, through Makeup, special effects and costume.
Eventually, the beauty of Australia, the land and the space, the animals and the air, my friends and family, tugged me home.
Where I taught Makeup Artistry and Special Effects at the Canberra Makeup Academy, and I continued my Fine Art degree in Sculpture at ANU.
In 2017 I gave birth to my first daughter Darcy and in 2019 I gave birth to my second daughter Bowie.
Becoming a Mother was and is... just wow. I love being a mum.
Darce and Bo are now almost 4 and 6 have been an catalyst on my journey to author/illustratorship and an inspiration to my characters both written and illustrated.
Having the kiddos did restrict my ability somewhat to do large practical art, mainly because I could no longer take over the living room with all sorts... chemicals, paints and chewable nasties etc. but it forced me think outside the box, and In 2017 I bought my first Ipad pro and over the passed 6 years I have taught myself the fun and endless possibilities of digital art .
I now get super excited combining all the practical and digital skills I have learned and revel in utilising these artistic experiences to tell stories.
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