The Art of Ashley Collins: Defining Contemporary Excellence

  • For more than three decades, collectors around the world have been drawn to the power and poetry of Ashley Collins - while building a blue-chip collector base, Ashley has become one of the most successful, living female contemporary artists. Her journey from struggle to success embodies a transformative force that rivals the typical rules and preconceptions of the definition of contemporary art.

  • ASHLEY COLLINS, B. 1967 (PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA) ASHLEY COLLINS, B. 1967 (PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA) ASHLEY COLLINS, B. 1967 (PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA) ASHLEY COLLINS, B. 1967 (PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA)

    ASHLEY COLLINS

    B. 1967 (PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA)

    A self-made powerhouse in contemporary art, Ashley Collins emerged from homelessness and assault to become one of the most recognizable female artists working today.

    Collins' journey is as layered as her paintings-each one built from antique book pages, archival material, and fragments of history, then torn apart and reassembled using industrial tools. It's a process that mirrors her life: beauty forged through brokenness, and strength carved from struggle. 

    Her large-scale mixed-media works aren't just seen-they're felt. Viewers often describe a visceral connection to the texture, scale, and emotional depth. Collins believes in imperfection as truth, and in art as a form of healing-not just for herself, but for those who experience her work. 

    Beyond the canvas, her impact is global. She has personally funded over 10,000 cleft palate surgeries for children, supported orphanages, built schools across multiple continents, and provided vaccines and medical care in underserved regions. In recognition of her humanitarian work, Collins was named a United States Envoy for Tanzania and Africa. 

    As an artist and philanthropist, Collins bridges the emotional and the material-reminding us that art is not just about what we see, but who we become.

  • Symbolism of the Horse

    For Collins, the horse is a spiritual mirror - a reflection of both unbridled freedom and boundless wisdom. Each horse she paints carries emotional weight - an echo of her own personal journey through adversity into light. She paints the souls of angels who enter our lives and transforms them. "The horse has always stood beside humankind as a companion through hardship - they carry our burdens and our hopes. In my work, they are the soul's purest expression of freedom."
  • Highlighted Private & Institutional Collections Peter & Melanie Munk | Kristy Walton | Alice Walton | Steven Spielberg / Kate...

    Highlighted Private & Institutional Collections

    Peter & Melanie Munk | Kristy Walton | Alice Walton | Steven Spielberg / Kate Capshaw | Graeme & Robyn Hart | Signe Ostby / Scott D. Cook | Robert Redford | George I. Rosenthal Collection | Stan Kroenke | Jerry Jones / Mooty Family | Tony Robbins | Brian & Veronica Grazer | Bass Family Collection | Horchow Family Collection | Lady Gaga

    Highlighted Museum & Corporate Collections

    Laguna Art Museum | Singapore Art Museum | U.S. Embassy Collections | Barrick Gold | 20th Century Fox |

    Warner Bros. Entertainment

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  • "Perfection is the opposite of beauty."
    "My first painting sold for $2,500. I gave half away. That's when I knew I was doing this for more than just myself."
    "Being a woman in this industry means making your own rules-and refusing to apologize for it."
    - Ashley Collins