Frances B. Ashforth is an artist who specializes in drawing, printmaking, and painting. While much of her work is tied to the landscapes and rivers of the American West, she is also well known for her depictions of salt flats and coastal weather in more tropical locales. If there are two threads that bind all of Francie’s work, they are her deep reverence for natural landscapes and her desire to protect them. Over the years, she has collaborated with many highly regarded conservationists to combine writing and art– first, in her “Water + Words” project, and most recently, when she created all of the art for Dylan Tomine’s excellent book Headwaters.

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Francie was born and raised on the east coast, into a family of artists and athletes who cultivated her obsessions with art and perpetual physical activity. Even though a childhood accident confined her to a body brace for nearly six years, Francie always pursued her passions with full enthusiasm and vigor, working hard to keep a positive attitude in the face of such a serious physical setback. But her commitment to creativity never waivered– after studying art and architecture in college, she worked professionally as both an architectural illustrator and art director for more than a decade. Eventually, Francie left her day job to focus on her own artistic endeavors, as well as her all-important role as a mother to young children. Today, Francie’s work has been shown in venues from New York City to San Francisco, and she has a loyal following among galleries and collectors across the country.

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Francie and I met through past podcast guest Dylan Tomine, when I had the pleasure of interviewing both of them at a live event in Brooklyn earlier this year. I was immediately impressed with Francies’ art, her obsession with fly fishing and books, and her long-term commitment to melding art and conservation. So I was so thrilled when she agreed to join me on the podcast, and we managed to cover a lot. We discussed her childhood and her family’s influence, and her early career that combined art and architecture. We talked about the specifics of her art, including her influences and her preferred mediums, and we talked in detail about her “Water + Words” project. We talk a lot about the book Headwaters, as well as her own love of books and reading. Francie offers a long list of excellent book recommendations, so be sure to check the episode notes for links to all of those and everything else we discuss.

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Huge thanks to Francie for all she does for conservation and for taking the time to chat with me. Hope you enjoy!

• https://francesbashforth.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/frances.ashforth/
• Water + Words
• Headwaters: The Adventures, Obsession and Evolution of a Fly Fisherman
• Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/frances-ashforth/

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• 3:40 – Francie discusses her childhood
• 5:30 – Francie talks about her family’s creative streak
• 8:30 – Francie discusses an accident that impacted her childhood
• 19:00 – Francie talks about her college education and early career in architecture
• 26:15 – Francie explains her transition from professional drafting to focusing on her own art
• 28:55 – Francie describes her art
• 32:30 – Francie talks about her Water and Word Project
• 37:15 – Francie explains her process of adapting existing words into new, complementary art
• 42:45 – Francie talks about how she became involved with Dylan Tomine, Headwaters and Patagonia Books
• 49:15 – Francie discusses reading and the books that make up her personal “bibliography”
• 1:00:30 – Francie talks about what is giving her hope these days

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