TOPEKA, UNITED STATES
BYRON ASHLEY
Chautauqua Box
My art investigates the complex intersections of consumer culture, identity, and societal expectations. Through the use of slip-casting and screen printing glaze, I create ceramic replicas of consumer goods—embellished with custom-designed labels that draw from personal experience. The contrast between material permanence and cultural disposability speaks to the fleeting nature of desire and the persistent cycle of lack that follows temporary satisfaction. The reproducible nature of screen printing and slip-casting allows me to emphasize repetition, a key strategy in expressing the futility inherent in desire. While my work critiques capitalist obsolescence and the commodification of identity, it is also a personal reflection. I find nostalgia in reconstructing these objects and moments as an effort to appreciate the present even as it slips into the past.
Dimensions: 13.5"H x 12.75"W x 8.25"D
Material: Screenprinted underglaze, glaze on stoneware
Artwork ships: beginning october 22nd









Chautauqua Box
Artist Statement
Working primarily in ceramics, my art investigates the complex intersections of consumer culture, identity, and societal expectations. Through the use of slip-casting and screenprinting glaze, I create ceramic replicas of consumer goods—fireworks, beer bottles,
T-shirts—embellished with custom-designed labels that draw from personal experience. These objects serve as both a mirror and critique of the role I occupy within capitalist systems. My process mimics industrial production, beginning with designing logos and graphics, which are screenprinted onto ceramic surfaces or transformed into decals. The finished pieces are often arranged to resemble discarded remnants, meticulously crafted in ceramic and glaze.
About the Artist
Byron Ashley is a Ceramist from Topeka, KS. He graduated from Kansas State University with a B.F.A. in studio art in 2019. Upon graduating he was an intern for Island Press at Washington University St. Louis and Flatbed Press in Austin, Texas. Recently, Byron completed his M.F.A. in studio art from Texas Tech University. His work features ceramic objects of discarded products and screen printed labeling. Most recently his work has been featured in the exhibitions CraftTexas 2025, Clay: A Southern Census and MARFA Invitational in 2025.
BYRON ASHLEY
Education
2025 MFA, Concentration in Printmaking, Secondary concentration in Ceramics,
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
2019 BFA, Concentration in Printmaking, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Teaching Experience
Courses Taught
2024-25 2-D Design, Spring Semester (Instructor of Record ART 1302, Spring 2024, Fall 2024 and
Spring 2025), Texas Tech School of Art, Lubbock, TX
Instructed students on the basic principles of 2-D design and compositions. Subjects include
value, shape, pattern, color and space. Through assignments, I introduced drawing/painting,
collage, photography, digital and printmaking. Taught students how to properly critique and form
a network/community amongst themselves.
2023 Beginning Printmaking, Fall Semester (Instructor of Record ART 3308, Fall 2023), Texas
Tech School of Art, Lubbock, TX
Instructed students on the printmaking processes of Intaglio, Relief, Monoprint and
Screenprinting. Aided students in developing conceptual attributes of art. Formulated strategies
to best take advantage of printmaking medium. Demonstrated technical processes of
printmaking. Ensured safety and health of students operating equipment and hazardous
materials.
Courses Assisted
2024-25 Teaching Assistant, ART 1309 Global Arts and Visual Culture (Professor Kate Peaslee),
Texas Tech School of Art, Lubbock, TX
Assisted for 2 semesters. Assisted Kate Peaslee with grading and attendance. Gave feedback on
assignments to help students better understand the basic formal elements of art and the roles of
artists in society. Gave artist talk in Spring of 2025.
2024 Teaching Assistant, ART 3328 Intermediate Printmaking (Professor Sangmi Yoo), Texas
Tech School of Art, Lubbock, TX
Assisted Professor Sangmi Yoo with supplemental instruction to students. Aided with screenprint
projects, taking analog drawings and converting them into bitmap files. Expanded knowledge of
digital processes in CMYK screen printing, Duotone Laser Woodblock printing.
2023 Teaching Assistant, ART 1302 2D Design (Professor Travis Neel) Texas Tech School of Art,
Lubbock, TX
Provided supplemental instruction to students, and assisted with evaluating student
performance. Kept track of attendance and overall academic progress. Developed curriculum.
Demonstrating the principles of 2-D design and how to apply various design elements.
2022 Teaching Assistant, ART 3308 Beginning Print (Professor Sangmi Yoo) Texas Tech School
of Art, Lubbock, TX
Provided supplemental instruction to students, assisted with evaluating student performance.
Kept track of attendance and overall academic progress. Developing ideas with students and
assisted with technical demonstrations in regards to the print topics covered in class (Screenprint,
Drypoint, Woodblock and Monoprint)
Relevant Professional Experience
2025 Speedball Instagram Takeover
Collaborated with Speedball Ceramics from May 12-16 using their underglazes and silkscreens to
screenprint designs and layers of underglaze onto ceramic artwork.
2024 Research Presenter, MAPC 2024, Manhattan, KS
Presented research into non-toxic methods of etching using Gac 200, aluminum plates and
copper sulfate at MAPC (Mid American Print Council) in October of 2024.
2021 Fall Intern, Flatbed Press, Austin, TX
Assisted with the editioning of projects for Lance Letscher. Inked up plates for etchings Therapy
Bird and The Third D. Additionally I maintain the cleanliness of the community and pro shops,
help in the office with preparatory tasks for exhibitions, shipping, show striking and hanging
2021 Summer Intern, Island Press, Saint Louis, MO
Assisted with the development of print projects for Michael Joo, Erika Blumenfeld and BARBER.
For the Joo project I inked up plexiglass relief plates, mixed screen Ink and washed out
silkscreens. For Blumenfeld I cut down paper, and applied gold leaf to her prints. For the BARBER
project I mixed up etching Ink, rolled flats for Chine-Colle and cut up said Chine-Colle.
2019 Summer Intern, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Front Desk, Aspen, CO
Performed office and retail duties. As the front desk receptionist I was to greet guests as they
come in, take and transfer calls, run errands for the office and facilitate the administrative needs
of the ranch. Aside from administration and receptionist I also handled retail and cashiering at
our fine art gallery/art supply store.
2018-2019 National Endowment for the Art Undergrad Research Assistant, Printmaking Area
Commissioned by undergraduate professor Jason Scuilla to research the electrolytic process of
etching.
Exhibitions
2025 CVA Six Week Residency Exhibition, CVA School of Art Gallery, Chautauqua, NY, Curated
by Erika Hess
CraftTexas 2025, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston, TX, Curated by
Abraham Thomas
Marfa Invitational, Saint George Hall, Marfa, TX, curated by Sonia Borrell, Lester Marks,
and Michael Phelan
Printmaking As Placemaking, Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts (LHUCA),
Lubbock, TX, Curated by Sam Van Strien
Clay: A Southern Census, Clay Center of New Orleans, Curated by C.A Traen
Florida Printmakers Biennial, Miami Dade College Kendall Campus, Miami, FL
Paper and Clay, Tippetts & Eccles Galleries, Logan, UT, Curated by Sage Perrott
University Juried Art Exhibition, Runnels Gallery, Portales, NM Curated by Chris Rabb
2024 Pots-n-Prints, Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, Odessa, TX, Curated by Alex Gregory
MESH, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, Hyattsville, MD
Paper and Clay, Tippetts & Eccles Galleries, Logan, UT, Curated by Brooks Oliver
2023 October Open Exhibit, The Art League Gallery, Alexandria, VA, Curated by Robert Tillman
2021 Paper West, Gittins Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT, curated by Sam Vernon
2020 Art For All, Kansas City Artist Coalition, Kansas City, MO
Tangled Roots, InterUrban ArtHouse, Overland Park, KS
2019 Interim, Patton-Malott Gallery, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, CO
BFA Exhibition, Chapman Gallery, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
2018 Living Democracy, Kemper Union Gallery, Manhattan, KS
Residencies
2025 Chautauqua Institute Art Artist-In-Residence, June-August, Chautauqua, NY
Red Lodge Clay Center Short Term Residency, Sept-December, Red Lodge, MT
Grants/Awards
2024 TTU Richard and Sybil Dickey Art Scholarship ($1000), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
2023 TTU Roberts Regents Art Scholarship (500$), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
TTU E Malouf Art Scholarship (500$), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
2022 Distinguished Graduate Student Assistantship (13,000$), Texas Tech University, Lubbock,
TX
Geneva Griffin - Regents Endowed Scholarship (1,000$), Texas Tech University, Lubbock,
TX
2021 Artist INC Topeka Fellowship, Arts Topeka, Topeka, KS
2019 National Endowment for the Arts Undergrad Research Scholarship (1,000$), Kansas State
University, Manhattan KS,
Memberships
2024 National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA)
Mid America Print Council (MAPC)
2022 Prairie Devil Press Printmaking Club, Lubbock, TX
2020-2021 Kansas City Artist Coalition, Kansas City, MO
2018-2019 Prairie Fire Printmaking Club, Manhattan, KS
Director of Internal Communications and Records
Technical Skills
Printmaking: Paper Marbling, Book Binding and Making, Electrochemical etching, Photo Lithography,
Monotype printing, Chine-Colle, Relief and Multi Color Woodblock, Intaglio, Aquatint, Sugarlift, Screen
Printing, RISO,
Ceramic: Slab building, wheel throwing, slip casting, glazing, screenprinting underglaze, underglaze
transfer decals, overglaze screenprinted decals.
Other works from the WHAT HOLDS Exhibition