ASHLEY WITZGALL

Ashley Witzgall is a multidisciplinary artist and arts educator based along the Jersey Shore, best known for emotionally driven work often described as abstract emotional portraiture. Through watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, and digital design, her practice explores movement, intuition, and the complexity of human emotion through layered, expressive storytelling.

Ashley holds a B.A. in Performing Arts Management from the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music and a Certificate in Project Management from Cornell University. She began her creative career in the music industry, working in production, graphic design, marketing, production, and CD design – experiences that continue to shape her approach to visual storytelling and creative communication.

In 2011, following the loss of her brother Matthew Witzgall, Ashley turned more deeply toward fine art and found her voice through watercolor, using creativity as a means of both expression and healing. Over the past decade, her work has been exhibited throughout New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Alongside her studio practice, Ashley is a community-centered educator with extensive leadership experience. She has served as Assistant Director of a private art school and as Camp Director for Girl Scouts, where she developed inclusive, community-based arts programming designed to make creativity accessible to learners of all backgrounds and abilities. In 2025, she was nominated for the Phenomenal Women Under 40 Award by Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore in recognition of her leadership and impact through education and community engagement.

Ashley teaches students ranging from preschoolers to seniors, including individuals with special needs, and creates original curriculum that blends art with STEM concepts, environmental awareness, and hands-on exploration. Her teaching spans a wide range of disciplines including watercolor, acrylic painting, ceramics, drawing, graphic design, and mixed-media experimentation. At the core of her approach is a belief that art should be accessible, process-driven, and empowering.

Today, Ashley continues to create, teach, and lead workshops throughout the region, building spaces where creativity becomes a tool for connection, curiosity, and personal voice. Her work has been featured in several magazines in the tri-state area, as well as Soup Can Magazine (Issues #14 and #20) and was recently exhibited at Union Market & Gallery and Arete Gallery.

TikTok: @ArtistFromtheBlackLagoon
Instagram @ArtistFromtheBlackLagoon
Facebook: Facebook.com/AshleyWitzgallart

LinkedIn: www.LinkedIn.com/in/AshleyWitzgall

WHO is the Artist from the Black Lagoon?

Part artist, part educator, part caffeine-powered swamp creature (possibly mostly swamp creature).

Artist from the Black Lagoon is Ashley’s creative alter ego: a home for odd ideas, fun artwork, a bit of cryptid chaos, and the belief that art should be accessible, imperfect, and deeply human.

Every artist has a studio. Ashley apparently built a swamp. Artist from the Black Lagoon grew from the idea that creativity doesn’t have to stay in one lane. It became a home for her cryptids, storytelling, experiments, comics, educational projects, and all the strange ideas that didn’t fit neatly into “fine art.” It’s where curiosity wins, weirdness is encouraged, and art is allowed to have a sense of humor.

Usually she can be found creating, teaching… and often with too many projects and not enough wall space.