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Ashley Joi’s work as a multidisciplinary artist reflects a deep connection to her African ancestry, blending symbolism and diverse materials to create powerful emotional narratives. Her art is a dialogue between past and present, drawing on African mythology, history, and themes of social impact. She incorporates found objects and natural materials to evoke a sense of resilience and resourcefulness, representing the ways African-American culture formed and has evolved with limited resources. Her creative process often layers meaning, both literal and metaphorical, through the subjects she chooses and the composition of each piece. Whether working in mixed media or other forms, her work embodies a rich cultural heritage while addressing contemporary social issues, making it both deeply personal and universally resonant. 

A Virginia native, Ashley Joi’s journey with art began at the early age of four. Encouraged by her family, she quickly developed a passion for visual creation, winning numerous awards for both her visual and performing arts talents during her youth. In high school, she earned an International Baccalaureate certificate in painting and attended the Governor’s School residency art program in Richmond, Virginia, further honing her skills and artistic voice. Ashley also received Scholastic Arts Awards, affirming her talent early in her career.

Ashley Joi’s art has been exhibited in prominent venues and galleries across the U.S. and internationally, emphasizing her impact within the artistic community. She has been highlighted and presented by notable institutions and organizations such as the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Anacostia Arts Center and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, and at the Kyoto Shibori Museum in Japan. 

Career Highlights

In 2019 Joi was commissioned to create three original art pieces in response to the Georgetown University Law Center for the Center on Poverty and Inequality's Girlhood Interrupted study. The work was presented at the National Museum of Women in the Arts by Ashley Joi in September of 2019, and the work is a part of the permanent Georgetown University art collection.

In 2023 Ashley Joi was awarded for her impactful piece titled American Child in the FAMILY exhibit at Richmond, Virginia's Artspace gallery. The piece sought to raise awareness and support for children’s welfare in relation to the psychological impact of gun violence in schools. The exhibit specifically benefited ChildSavers, an organization dedicated to improving the mental health and development of children through trauma-informed services and early intervention. Joi’s work in the exhibit was recognized for its emotional depth and social relevance, contributing to the exhibit’s broader mission of advocating for child well-being. This recognition continues to highlight her commitment to using art as a tool for social impact. 

In 2024, Ashley Joi’s mixed‑media portrait of Henry Highland Garnet, an early civil‑rights leader and formerly enslaved abolitionist, was unveiled at George Washington’s Mount Vernon during the Slave Memorial Ceremony presented by Black Women United for Action. The annual service honors the lives and legacies of the enslaved African Americans who were held in bondage on the estate and buried in unmarked graves across the grounds. Joi’s piece, Henry Highland Garnet: They Thought They Buried Me, But I Was A Seed, served as both a tribute to Garnet’s enduring legacy and a memorial to the countless men, women, and children whose labor shaped Mount Vernon and whose descendants carry their stories forward. The artwork was later featured on Fox 5 DC local news during a Black History Month special in 2026 while on exhibit at Zenith Gallery in Washington, DC.

In 2025, the Institute of Politics Policy and History (IPPH) purchased a work of art at Zenith Gallery by Ashley Joi, titled “Mother Harriet's Smile” featuring Harriet Tubman. Sharon Pratt, former DC Mayor and founder of the Institute of Politics Policy and History (IPPH) at UDC, honored Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch, with Joi's art at the award ceremony on September 16, 2025.  

Photograph by Rashad Rodgers