JULIE ASHER’S ARTWORK: Q&A + COMMISSIONS

Talk about a Texas talent! (Ok, she grew up in Missouri, but we’re claiming her now.) Julie Asher is one of those visionaries that brings together artistic elements in the kind of creative combo you didn’t even know you needed: livestock and ledger art. This isn’t our first time introducing her to y’all, we’ve been singing her praises for some time and some of y’all have even met her in person at the Ft. Worth flagship store, but now that we are kind of in cahoots with her, we thought it’d be fun to do a quick Q&A about the origins of her artwork and how you can commission one of your very own.

DDR: Tell us a little bit about your art and how you developed your artistic style.

JULIE: My art has always been an expression of me; my interests in life, things I grew up around and know. My artistic style has come naturally by doing a lot of painting, experimenting, and creating over the years. It's like handwriting that develops with time.

DDR: And how did the ledger paper become part of it?
JULIE: Native American ledger art dates back to the 1870s. I had recently seen a piece of Native American ledger art and had talked to my friend about doing some of my own with my spin on it. This friend said she had bought an old ledger years ago at an antique store in Bastrop, Texas, and that it was sitting there collecting dust. She brought it to me, and the rest is history. And it was a big ledger! That is where all the paper is coming from at the moment. I have also been searching for others and have been given more since. It has kind of snowballed. I think it has really touched on something with people, taking a piece of history and making it new again. Preserving it.

DDR: Explain how you came to be in cahoots with Double D Ranch.

JULIE: I had posted one of my first longhorn ledger pieces on social media. Cheryl saw it and messaged me. I was so honored because I LOVE Double D Ranch! We emailed back and forth. She wanted to know my process, etc.; we thought it was a match!

DDR: You’ve since done a commissioned piece for her – complete with her son’s personal brand, which is very cool! – as well some of our employees and our Addicts/audience. For those who haven’t yet procured one and might want a custom piece, what is the process for commissioning a painting?

JULIE: All the customer has to do is contact Double D Ranch via email at [email protected] and send a high quality photo of the subject of the commission. DDR has a list of sizes they can choose from, they will get all the contact information and take payment. I can contact the client for further information at that time. It takes around two weeks turnaround time once I begin a piece, but the total time it takes depends on the number of people on a waiting list in front of them. When the customer puts in an order, I will put them on the list and give them a number; they’ll receive updates regarding where they are on the list. If the piece is being gifted for a specific date, I suggest placing the order months in advance and finding out how many are on the list in front of you.

DDR: People are able to customize their pieces in a ton of ways – with a particular animal or animals from their herd, their own personal brand, or even include humans, like in a roping scene, for instance. Any other unique options*?

JULIE: I have been asked if I can paint on registration papers or other documents that people have; the answer is yes. There are a couple of different ways it can be done and that process can be discussed with them after contacting Double D.

*PSST! While we’re thinking outside the box, Julie can also customize your Turquoise Travel Series pieces!

DDR: Well, it sounds like you have your hands full – and we hope our customer base will continue to keep you busy! What else is on the horizon for your art?

JULIE: I will be exhibiting at the 40th Annual Exhibition and Sale at the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, Texas, September 8-9, 2023.

You heard it here first, gals! Get your commission on the list, go see her stuff in September, and follow her awesome artwork at @JulieAsherStudio on Instagram and @JulieAsherFineArt on Facebook!