Meet Aysha

My name is Aysha Edmondson. I was born and raised in Indiana, and I am a studio artist who explores emotion, memory, and self-reflection. I am a subject-based artist, creating work that connects to me on a personal level. I love using my hands to build and create, turning ideas and emotions into something physical that others can see and experience.

As an artist, I often focus on self-talk, how I process thoughts, emotions, and experiences internally, and how those feelings translate into my work. My art becomes a space where my inner voice can exist freely, even when words fall short. The pieces I create often carry meanings that I find difficult to explain fully, but through form, texture, and composition, they begin to speak for me.

I was first influenced by art at a young age, around eight years old, through my grandpa. That early exposure stayed with me, even though I did not always create consistently. My relationship with art has been deeply tied to my emotions, especially as I experienced loss, death, and trauma within my family. During those times, art became something I would return to, not always regularly, but always meaningfully. It became both an outlet and a reflection of what I was carrying inside.

In my work, I think a lot about space, how a viewer can navigate it, and how they can come to their own understanding of reality. I use composition and placement to guide the eye, allowing different elements to interact and respond to one another. The dynamics within my work often counteract each other, creating a balance between tension and calm, fullness and emptiness. This contrast is intentional, helping the viewer not only see the work but move through it visually and emotionally.

To me, art can serve a purpose, but it can also exist intentionally empty. That emptiness is not a lack; it is space. Space that allows the viewer to fill a void, to decide whether something feels crowded, balanced, or open. Sometimes less truly is more. My work explores that idea, allowing for interpretation while still carrying emotional weight.

Much of my work is created in a studio setting, where I can fully focus on the process and the meaning behind what I am making. Some of my pieces have been recognized within my school community, and I have had opportunities to share and explain my work with others, allowing different audiences to engage with it in their own way. Herron High School, Cold Spring, 100 Black men, Teenswork, and I also share parts of my creative journey online, offering a glimpse into my process and growth as an artist. Ultimately, my goal is to create work that exists beyond just being seen. Because for me, art isn't just about what you see,  it's about what stays with you after you've looked away. 

I am excited to work with the Harrison Center and see what I take away and gain along the way, so I can truly see the work and progress I can make with my art. One aspect is using my hands to handcraft items for the Bloombox musical festival. In addition to my core responsibilities, I'm also focused on enhancing my personal growth by recruiting fellow interns. This will allow me to share my experiences and foster a strong sense of community and networking at the Harrison Center. 

My following poem reflects that space, where emotion, process, and voice come together:

Upon the page, the paint sprinkler's 
bristles dance,
Each texture born, a sensory trance.
Emotions stirred, in colors deep,
A symphony of feelings, secrets to keep."
My art gives me the voice to speak 
The expressions blur as submerged in the paper 
Splat splat what was that 
The sound turns the silence into visibility 
Lighting the paper up  releasing the words 
once held captive  shadows dance into 
flames igniting the remedy of my voice. You 
see the meaning of the image you saw, that 
you felt I was trying to see, capturing my eye 
that stuck with me. What is Art? Whatever 
you want it to be, or feel. No limitations, no 
detachments that make me, 'me'."