James Ashley is an independent web manager and developer.
WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST ASSIGNMENT?
“I work independently with a gentleman, Robert Krampf, who does science presentations for schools, museums and power companies. Right now he is providing community outreach for Florida Power and Light. I’m contracted by him to run his website, maintain the calendar and schedule programs. You could say I’m his stationary assistant.” Design, graphics, photography and animation are part of the job, too.
TARGET MARKET
“Most of his clients are home-based educators.”
HOW DID YOU BECOME INVOLVED?
“I met him [Krampf] when I was working at the children’s museum downtown [The Museum Of Science and History]. He was the director of education and I was the curator of natural science. I also taught natural science [at the museum].” While at MOSH, Ashley accompanied a naturalist to the Bronx Zoo to plan the bat exhibit. The museum had a fire and lost a number of them.
WHAT’S REWARDING ABOUT IT?
“It’s hard to divide the things that I do and the business that I am from who I am because I wouldn’t be doing the things I’m doing without my association with people. I’m quite flattered they appreciate me to the degree to help me survive by employment.”
WHAT’S MOST CHALLENGING?
“The technology. They have Flash now, all these new Java languages, the gadgetry and the time that it takes to become proficient.”
SIDE INCOME
Apart from his four years working for Krampf’s Science Education Company, Ashley has done simple web pages for others, such as the Lake County Water Authority. Additionally, he assists Nancy Wilson at her 824 Gallery, coordinating large parties.
MUSINGS
“I worked at Florida State Museum, now the Florida Museum of Natural History. I was a museum artist doing illustrational work to support the exhibits. They’re still using some of the art work I did. I worked with the scientists and things of that nature. We even had one scientist that would count the feathers on your bird wings to make sure it was correct. While I was there I also ran a student art class for seven years; it was basic and figure drawing.”
CINDERELLA’S NIGHT OUT
“I know Sandra Alfred; she’s a fashion designer. She was contacted about doing a debutante ball down at the yacht club and I got involved with that. With exhibits you do three-dimensional things as well as two-dimensional.”
EDUCATION
He has a bachelor’s degree in printmaking from the University of Florida.
WHAT IS PRINTMAKING?
“Etchings, engravings, lithographs — the type of art work that can be produced en masse.”
COMPUTER ART
“I haven’t gotten real complicated with it because I’m more interested in the image than the technology. I like taking it and making it look more human rather than technical. I’m doing them as pieces of art — they are valid prints. They are thermographic prints, otherwise known as Xerox. I use digital media as a printing tool. Artistically, I still plan to produce pieces and market them.”
WHO INFLUENCES YOU?
“Anybody. I can get excited about some aspect of any work if it’s a genuine artistic effort. Some of my art work stems a little bit out of surrealism because of the union of the conscious and the unconscious mind and perception. Nature accounts for my scientific interest.”
WHY DABBLE IN COMPUTER ART?
“I have the art interest. I didn’t want to be a graphic artist. The new technology is the Internet, so that directed me. With the Internet, you can become a free agent. As I’m getting older, it’s hard to be out in the job market. You may die tomorrow or you don’t fit the image of the business so getting a job when you’re over 50 can be difficult. The computer is anonymous; they can judge you on your work and not on your appearance.”
MEDIUMS
Other artistic endeavors for Ashley include oil paintings, pencil, pastels and watercolors.
HIS WEB ADDRESS
http://members.aol.com/jrashley/Simplepage.html
HOMETOWN
Long Beach, Calif.
WHAT BRINGS YOU TO THESE PARTS?
“Cape Canaveral and the rocket industry. My father worked there for 24 years. I remember seeing the first chimp go up. The attempts were a lot more exciting because it was like fireworks going off. In my more recent pieces, I’ve gone back to the things that have influenced me in my youth.”
FAMILY
Ashley resides in Riverside. He has two daughters, Shael and Faun, three grandchildren and a sister who is a practicing medium (psychic).
HOBBIES
Outdoor activities such as canoeing or nature walks. He also enjoys fantasy and science fiction movies and watching the Discovery or Learning Channel.
— by Monica Chamness