I stood at the edge of the water somewhere on the East Coast — just me, my camera, and God — and something in me cracked open in the best possible way.
That road trip last October wasn’t just a vacation. It was the moment I stopped tiptoeing around something I’d known in my bones for years: I am an artist.
I’d been circling back to that truth for a while. Three years ago, I felt the nudge… quiet and easy to dismiss. I kept going about my business. But God kept knocking on the doors of my heart. And slowly, I picked the paintbrush back up.
Here’s the backstory, if you want it:
I went to school for art and design. I ran a photography and design company. I’ve held creative roles most of my adult life. But what they don’t always warn you about in art school is that you can get burnt out from creating, especially when it becomes your career without proper boundaries.
That’s what happened to me. The joy slowly faded. And so, beginning in 2019, I turned toward coaching, eventually coming alongside others to help them prevent burnout, rediscover their passions, and step into the fullness of who they were made to be. I loved that work! I still do.
But God kept calling me back.
Last year, I made a commitment: Saturday mornings were for creating. No exceptions. It had to go on the calendar or it wouldn’t happen, and it deserved to happen. Little by little, I started enjoying it again. Allowing God to speak through the pencil and paintbrush, the lens and the laptop. Exploring new mediums. Rediscovering old ones.
Then came October. Three weeks on the road, just me and the rolling hills in front of me. That’s where He really did the work. And at a retreat I attended right after returning to Texas, I tried my new/old identity out loud for the first time:
I am an artist.
It was scary. It felt awkward. I felt like a fraud. But I kept saying it anyway, no matter how clumsy the words came out or how fluttery my heart felt. And over these past months, I’ve grown into it: gone back into my archives, started selling my photography on Redbubble, and converted my website from coach to creative.
So here I am. Making it official, in my little corner of the internet: I, Ashley Mobley, am an artist — and a servant to the creative spirit God placed in me.
And I’d love to share some of that with you.
My first travel collection is live — photographs from Ireland, a place I’ve carried in my heart since I was a teenager. My husband and I honeymooned there in 2016 (a dream, truly). We went back in 2018. We had a third trip planned for 2020… and well, you know how that went. Ireland still has a piece of my heart, and I’m so glad I get to offer a piece of it to yours.
Whether you love Ireland, know someone who does, or simply find beauty in God’s green earth, I’d love for you to take a look!
✦ Browse my Ireland Collections on Redbubble →
If something speaks to you, pick it up. I would be so honored to know a little piece of the world I captured lives in your home.
Cheers to walking through the doors we’ve been avoiding. Cheers to creativity, beauty, and the people and places we love. Cheers to you, friend. 🥂
P.S. I also offer photography and design services for small businesses and individuals. From branding and headshots to family sessions and weddings, I’m based in San Antonio but travel often. If you’re curious, get in touch here.