Ashley Jones

An arts focused newsletter from Ashley J., providing access through information.

A cultural essay on the Hulu exclusive dark horror film, Fresh.

"Categorized as a horror rom-com, Fresh is the type of horror feature that resides in the sort of grey are occupied by David Lynch films. The horrors portrayed are of an everyday nature. Perhaps avoidable, but all around us and constantly enduring because of the mundanity that comes along with normalizations." | Ashley J. for Lay It Out

Commitment to a more sustainable lifestyle means considering how our choices affect all aspects of life, including, and perhaps even especially, travel.
From fossil fuels used in transportation to single-use plastics, a leisurely trip has the potential to be a major strain on the planet. Here we provide a list of easy ways we can all become more sustainable travelers. If not everything on this list is feasible for you, choosing even two or three can have a direct impact on your health of your... | for Worthwhile Goods

When it comes to beautifully crafted products, there are many Indigenous designers, artists, and retailers offering everything from home goods and beauty products to apparel and accessories. We’ve compiled our favorites here.

Ginew is the only Native-owned denim line in the US. It incorporates elements of the founders’ Mohican, Oneida and Ojibwe heritages to create a uniquely Native brand of Americana. Husband and wife Erik and Amanda are Ginew’s founders, both crediting their culture and rel... | for Worthwhile Goods

A Uniform, a Kinship, an Instantly Recognizable Fashion Statement

That is the Telfar bag, a vegan leather bag lined in twill and made famous when worn by Beyoncé. Sometimes called a “Bushwick Birkin”, between the launch of the brand in 2005 and the height of its mass appeal in 2020, the Telfar tote bag is far more than an accessory.

Designer Telfar Clemens, who is openly queer, started the unisex brand while a student at Pace College in Manhattan. Vegan, limited, and totally functional, the T... | for Worthwhile Goods

The world is beginning to open back up and travel is once again an option for many. We’ve already compiled a list of some of the best ways to travel more sustainably, but there is always more we could do. Read on for tips on becoming a more mindful traveler.

Even though you’re likely going on vacation for an escape or adventure, it’s good to remember that the destination you’re visiting is also home to its local residents. The people and places we interact with are responsible for the very cu... | for Worthwhile Goods

“The Lotus Eater: a poem and series of paintings by Thomas Flynn II” is a 9 x 6 inch, 52 page, full color hardcover book self-published by the artist with a foreward by Ashley C. Jones.
The Collector’s Edition Set is available with three Tiers. Prices include free shipping to continental USA. The Preorders will close on April 1, afterwhich the collector edition set will no longer be available. The book will be available for purchase after April 1, but will be dropshipped directly from the man...

"Even as lockdowns are lifted and vaccines are becoming more and more accessible, we are still very much in a pandemic. Some restaurants and stores maintain strict policies around masking and temperature checks and everyday people, who otherwise might not, are watching the actions of politicians to see how their daily lives will be affected. Through virtual viewing rooms, galleries are striving to continue working with artists and for a public audience of viewers." | Ashley J. for LAPP Magazine

"I miss the golden era of slasher franchises, like the Friday the 13th series, that focused heavily on summer releases. The target audience was young, and going to the movies was one of a limited number of choices for a population with a lot more free time on their hands than they'd have when school started again in the fall.
These days, streaming services like HBO Max, which is currently hosting all but the third Nightmare on Elm Street film..." | Ashley J. for Fangoria

"A lot of things have changed since the earliest months of the COVID-19 lockdowns and self-imposed quarantines.
Museums are now opening with limited hours, and galleries are beginning to open to the general public with mask mandates and social distancing suggestions; even as a second round of lockdowns is increasingly present in the news. Artists, art institutions, and art-adjacent creatives are changing several aspects of creation itself..." | Ashley J. for Dovetail Magazine

"A lifetime of watching independent film led to covering this years' Tribeca Film Festival, which allowed for screening films including the Tribeca Film Festival Official Selection, Blondie: Vivir En La Habana, receiving its North American debut at Tribeca." | Ashley J. for TAPE Collective

"What are the responsibilities of depicting real life horror in film and other media, who is it for, and why does it matter?
While there are many directions to go in analyzing the issues surrounding serial killer documentaries and true crime, a particular problem is how humanity is or isn’t given to its subjects. This applies as much to the victims as the perpetrators."

Ashley J. for The Final Girls

"Touted as Lithuania’s biggest film festival since 1995, the 26th edition of the Vilnius Film Festival, supported by the Lithuanian Film Centre & co-funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture, Creative Europe MEDIA Programme of the European Union, Vilnius City Municipality, & Go Vilnius, presented what may have been one of the more innovative COVID friendly opening nights to date; see SXSW’s $399 slate of Zooms for a great example of the wrong way..." | Ashley J., Postmodern Indigenous

"Across the spectrum of classically inspired national and regional local art, from paintings to sculpture, and masks, there is a long and still very active history of the presence of the demonic.

Why? Is this art religious? How did something with such strong stigma in the West become so ubiquitous here? To answer these questions, you have to look at both Mexican art history and the cultures of the country’s many regions." | Ashley Jones for Puzzle Box Horror

"Artists and writers living and working in North America and Europe were asked to reflect on the current situation — the pandemic, the continuing struggle for social justice, and the conduct of everyday life — and compose or select an appropriate text.
All contributions were composed and presented in the form of a typographic sample sheet."