Artistic ambition
Ashlee Kuhnel and some of her colourful characters.
When it comes to pursuing a career in the art world, Ashlee Kuhnel shows that talent, combined with hard work and a supportive mother, goes a long way.
Hervey Bay resident Ashlee Kuhnel's favourite pastime involves creating colourful artworks featuring vivacious comic-book-style characters.
She is so passionate about art that she creates three to four pages of comic strips everyday.
Ashlee's creations feature a multitude of characters including young people, seniors, cats and dogs. She tends to develop her artworks by first drawing a character's eyes in the centre of her canvas and basing the rest of the picture around them.
"I find it relaxing to create cartoons," the 18-year-old says. "Basically I want to create characters and eventually I want to learn how to make them move, similar to the characters in [the animated film] Madagascar."
Ashlee's style involves outlining her characters with a fine-point black pen and adding colour with felt pens. (Ashlee says she likes the medium's simplicity and the fact the colours dry quickly.) She also uses watercolour pencils and an electronic drawing pad to create her masterpieces.
"I would like to build a career out of my artwork. I have thousands of pieces and I want my art to be seen and published"
Diagnosed with high-functioning autism at age 14, Ashlee says that in addition to the enjoyment she gleans from creating colourful artworks, she finds comfort in knowing she is very good at something.
"I would like to build a career out of my artwork," she says. "I have thousands of pieces and I want my art to be seen and published."
2006 Autism Awareness Week saw Ashlee showcase her art at a special exhibition in Hervey Bay and she hopes to have more opportunities to display her creative efforts.
Ashlee's mother, Lorraine Kuhnel, says that while Ashlee has not had any formal art training, she has always had access to art products and is inspired by watching cartoons on television.
Lorraine first noticed her daughter's unique drawing style when Ashlee was 12 years old.
"I am extremely proud of her achievements in art," Lorraine says.
"Her concentration when she is drawing is amazing.
"One evening when I called Ashlee to dinner, she was drawing - she would not stop and would not eat until she had filled the entire page with her creation."
For more information: email Lorraine Kuhnel at finecraftfashion@hotkey.net.au
Last updated November 2007