Born in Washington, D.C.
Education
M.F.A Socially-Engaged Studio Art Program. Moore College of Art and Design. Philadelphia, PA
B.F.A. Art and Design Education. Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
Solo Exhibitions
2021 A [Non] Figuration. Curated by Oluwatobiloba "Tobi" Ajayi. Virtual.
2020 Is it Safe Here?: MFA in Progress. Moore College of Art and Design. Philadelphia, PA
2015 Affirmations: An Exhibition by Ashley Ja'nae, Anacostia Arts Center. Washington, DC
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
Black Hair: Resistance, Freedom, and Beauty. Icebox Project Space. Philadelphia, PA
2021
All Fires Signs go to Heaven or the Emancipation of Mimi: Soul Singing and the Politics of Surrogation + Subjugation in the Age of Catastrophe. Philadelphia, PA
Black Art Sessions presents: Straight Lick. Brooklyn Museum. Brooklyn, NY
2021 MFA/MA Thesis Exhibition. Moore College of Art and Design. Philadelphia, PA
2019
Art & Advocacy: Benefit for the Center for Health and Gender Equality. Washington, DC
2018
Transformer 15th Annual Silent Auction. Corcoran School of Arts and Design. Washington, DC
Hickok Cole Art Night. Hickok Cole. Washington, DC
Heritage: Now. DC Arts Center. Washington, DC
BODIES. Otis Street Arts Project. Mt. Rainier, MD
We Got Next: Young Contemporaries. D.C. Commission for Arts & Humanities. Washington, DC
Washington Project for the Arts 37th Annual Auction Gala. Uline Arena. Washington, DC
Revolutionary Futures. The Stew. Washington, DC
2017
Best of the Best. Pepco Edison Place Gallery. Washington, DC
Home. Logan Fringe Arts Space. Washington, DC
DC Artists East Exhibition. Anacostia Arts Center. Washington, DC
Transcendence. Galerie Kritiku. Prague, CZ
Process & Practice. DC Arts Center. Washington, DC
2016
Figuratively Speaking. Gallery Underground. Arlington, VA
Cheap Thrills, Anacostia Arts Center. Washington, DC
Real People 2016, The Old Court House Arts Center. Woodstock, IL
Gen-Y: 3.0, VisArts at Rockville. Rockville, MD
Radical Re-Imaginings, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Washington, DC
Hashtags Unplugged, Caelum Gallery, New York, NY
2015
Pressure Points, DC Arts Center. Washington, DC
From The Root, Adinkra Cultural Arts Studio. Mt. Rainier, MD
Visual Arts Exhibition Featuring 2015 Artist Fellowship Program, DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities. Washington, DC
2013
Faculty Show, Art Works Studio School. Mt. Rainier, MD
Shared Minds: Art & Design Education Student Teachers and Their Students. Pratt Institute. Brooklyn, NY
Residencies & Studio Programs
2024 Resident Artist. The Studios at Hamiltonian Artists. Washington, DC
Awards & Grants
2025 Graduate Merit Scholarship. Maryland Institute College of Art. Baltimore, MD
2019 - 2021 Social Engagement Fellowship. Moore College of Art & Design. Philadelphia, PA
2010 - 2013 Presidential Merit-Based Scholarship. Pratt Institute. Brooklyn, NY
Selected Press & Text
Professional Experience
2020-Present Freelance Art Project Manager
2020 Graduate Teaching Internship. ED321: Art Methods & Curriculum Development. Moore College of Art & Design. Philadelphia, PA
2017 - 2019 Lower School Art Teacher. National Cathedral School. Washington, DC
2017 - 2018 Member, Sparkplug V. Artist Collective. DC Arts Center. Washington, DC
2015 - 2017 Visual Arts Teacher. Friends Community School. College Park, MD
2016 - 2017 Teaching Artist. F.H. Faunteroy Community Enrichment Center. Washington, DC
2014 - 2015 Long Term Substitute Art Teacher. National Cathedral School. Washington, DC
2013 - 2013 Teaching Artist. Art Works Studio School. Mt. Rainier, MD
2012 - 2013 Teaching Artist Assistant. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. New York, NY
2012 - 2012 Assistant Teaching Artist. Weeksville Heritage Center. Brooklyn, NY
Education
M.F.A Socially-Engaged Studio Art Program. Moore College of Art and Design. Philadelphia, PA
B.F.A. Art and Design Education. Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
Solo Exhibitions
2021 A [Non] Figuration. Curated by Oluwatobiloba "Tobi" Ajayi. Virtual.
2020 Is it Safe Here?: MFA in Progress. Moore College of Art and Design. Philadelphia, PA
2015 Affirmations: An Exhibition by Ashley Ja'nae, Anacostia Arts Center. Washington, DC
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
Black Hair: Resistance, Freedom, and Beauty. Icebox Project Space. Philadelphia, PA
2021
All Fires Signs go to Heaven or the Emancipation of Mimi: Soul Singing and the Politics of Surrogation + Subjugation in the Age of Catastrophe. Philadelphia, PA
Black Art Sessions presents: Straight Lick. Brooklyn Museum. Brooklyn, NY
2021 MFA/MA Thesis Exhibition. Moore College of Art and Design. Philadelphia, PA
2019
Art & Advocacy: Benefit for the Center for Health and Gender Equality. Washington, DC
2018
Transformer 15th Annual Silent Auction. Corcoran School of Arts and Design. Washington, DC
Hickok Cole Art Night. Hickok Cole. Washington, DC
Heritage: Now. DC Arts Center. Washington, DC
BODIES. Otis Street Arts Project. Mt. Rainier, MD
We Got Next: Young Contemporaries. D.C. Commission for Arts & Humanities. Washington, DC
Washington Project for the Arts 37th Annual Auction Gala. Uline Arena. Washington, DC
Revolutionary Futures. The Stew. Washington, DC
2017
Best of the Best. Pepco Edison Place Gallery. Washington, DC
Home. Logan Fringe Arts Space. Washington, DC
DC Artists East Exhibition. Anacostia Arts Center. Washington, DC
Transcendence. Galerie Kritiku. Prague, CZ
Process & Practice. DC Arts Center. Washington, DC
2016
Figuratively Speaking. Gallery Underground. Arlington, VA
Cheap Thrills, Anacostia Arts Center. Washington, DC
Real People 2016, The Old Court House Arts Center. Woodstock, IL
Gen-Y: 3.0, VisArts at Rockville. Rockville, MD
Radical Re-Imaginings, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Washington, DC
Hashtags Unplugged, Caelum Gallery, New York, NY
2015
Pressure Points, DC Arts Center. Washington, DC
From The Root, Adinkra Cultural Arts Studio. Mt. Rainier, MD
Visual Arts Exhibition Featuring 2015 Artist Fellowship Program, DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities. Washington, DC
2013
Faculty Show, Art Works Studio School. Mt. Rainier, MD
Shared Minds: Art & Design Education Student Teachers and Their Students. Pratt Institute. Brooklyn, NY
Residencies & Studio Programs
2024 Resident Artist. The Studios at Hamiltonian Artists. Washington, DC
Awards & Grants
2025 Graduate Merit Scholarship. Maryland Institute College of Art. Baltimore, MD
2019 - 2021 Social Engagement Fellowship. Moore College of Art & Design. Philadelphia, PA
2010 - 2013 Presidential Merit-Based Scholarship. Pratt Institute. Brooklyn, NY
Selected Press & Text
- Gunter, Ashley J. "MFA Candidate's Thesis Explores Response to Institutional Racism." Our Stories. October 8th, 2020
- Berkon, Eliza. "This New Art Exhibit Is All About Bodies, But Not Kind the Media Shows Us." DCist. September 13th, 2018
- Jakubowski, Mikey & Zulch, Meg. "Affirming Black Beauty Through Safe Spaces: Ashley Ja'nae," Hooligan Magazine Issue #12.
- Wilson, Aileen & Martin, Camille T. "The Art of the Art and Design Assignment: Pratt Institute." 2014. Print
Professional Experience
2020-Present Freelance Art Project Manager
2020 Graduate Teaching Internship. ED321: Art Methods & Curriculum Development. Moore College of Art & Design. Philadelphia, PA
2017 - 2019 Lower School Art Teacher. National Cathedral School. Washington, DC
2017 - 2018 Member, Sparkplug V. Artist Collective. DC Arts Center. Washington, DC
2015 - 2017 Visual Arts Teacher. Friends Community School. College Park, MD
2016 - 2017 Teaching Artist. F.H. Faunteroy Community Enrichment Center. Washington, DC
2014 - 2015 Long Term Substitute Art Teacher. National Cathedral School. Washington, DC
2013 - 2013 Teaching Artist. Art Works Studio School. Mt. Rainier, MD
2012 - 2013 Teaching Artist Assistant. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. New York, NY
2012 - 2012 Assistant Teaching Artist. Weeksville Heritage Center. Brooklyn, NY
