Ashley Czajkowski is an artist, mother and educator working in a number of interdisciplinary methods. Driven by personal experience, her research explores social constructions related to the feminine, the maternal, mortality and the psychological manifestation of and the human-animal. Though situated in photography, Czajkowski's practice also incorporates video, installation, and alternative print processes, pushing the expected boundaries of the photographic art medium.
Czajkowski earned her BFA in 2009 from Emporia State University and her MFA in 2015 from Arizona State University. Czajkowski’s work has been exhibited and published widely, most recently included in becoming-Feral, a book of poetry, essay, and art investigating human/other-animal relationships. Currently in Mesa, Arizona, Czajkowski is invested in her local art community and has served as a creative collaborator for the Creative Push Project, the Curator of Special Projects for Tilt Gallery, the President of eye lounge artist collective, and was the recipient of the inaugural TAFF Award from Phoenix Artlink in 2017. As an educator, she assists with Mortem, a research residency for Ayatana’s Biophilia Wild School for Artists based out of Canada. Czajkowski teaches as an Assistant Teaching Professor for the Digital Photography online program at ASU where she developed a course on Death and Photography in tandem with a biannual exhibition she curates titled Memento Mori.
EDUCATION
2015 Master of Fine Arts, Photography, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
2009 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Photography, Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas
SOLO & CURATORIAL EXHIBITIONS
2023 Memento Mori III: On Death and Photography, Curatorial Exhibition, Harry Wood Gallery,
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
2021 Memento Mori: Memento Vivere: On Death and Photography, Curatorial Exhibition,
Norhtlight Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2019 Awakening, Installation and Performance, nueBOX, Phoenix, AZ
2021 Memento Mori: An Exhibition on Death and Photography, Curatorial Exhibition,
Step Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2018 Renascent, Pheonix Artlink’s TAFF Award, Pop-up Exhibition, Phoenix
Anamorphosis, eye lounge Contemporary Art Space, Phoenix, Arizona
2017 Of a Domestic Ritual: New works by Ashley Czajkowski, eye lounge Contemporary Art Space and Collective, Phoenix, Arizona
2016 vestiges, eye lounge Artist Collective and Gallery, Phoenix, Arizona
2015 unBecoming, MFA Thesis Exhibition, Step Gallery, ASU Phoenix, Arizona
2009 Naivete, BFA Thesis Exhibition, Newman Gallery, Emporia State University
Emporia, Kansas
SELECT GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2018 Alternative Process Exhibition, Curated by Dan Burkholder, Soho Photo Gallery,
New York, NY
PHX ART NOW, Curated by Grant Vetter, Step Gallery, ASU, Phoenix, AZ
Object Inspiration, Curated by Peter Bugg, Chandler Arts Center, Chandler, AZ
2017 At the Intersection of Memory and Conjecture: Exhibition Honoring William
Jenkins, Curated by Liz Allen, Northlight Gallery, ASU, Phoenix, Arizona
The Image of the Savage: International Juried Exhibition, Millepiani Art Space,
Rome, Italy
Nasty Women | Phoenix, Grand Arthaus, Phoenix, Arizona
Nasty, Noisy, Naked and Knitting Women, Curated by Grant Vetter- Galleries
Director at Arizona State University, Fine Art Complex 1101, Tempe, AZ
Portrait: International Juried Exhibition, CICA Museum (Czong Institute for Contemporary Art Musuem), South Korea
2016 Soho Photo Alternative Processes: 12th Annual Competition, Juror: Miriam Leuchter- Editor-in-Chief of American Photo, SohoPhoto Gallery, NY
Home, Juror: Kevin Miller- Southeast Museum of Photography, The Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins, Colorado http://www.c4fap.org/exhibitions/home-with-kevin-miller/
In Sight: An Ekphrastic Collaboration between Eye Lounge and Four Chambers Press, eye lounge Gallery, Phoenix, Arizona
2015 Realizations: A Fine Art Exhibition of MFAs, Curated by Gregory Simoncic, Frontal Lobe Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
Force of Nature: Exploring the Power of the Feminine, Juror: Judith Brodsky, New Hampshire Chapter of the Women’s Caucus for Art, Karl Drerup Art Gallery and Silver Center for the Arts, Plymouth State University, Plymouth, New Hampshire
2014 CURRENT:Bridging Digital Technologies, Curated by Mary Hood, Associate Professor at Arizona State University, Night Gallery, Tempe, Arizona
Impromptu- A Spontaneous Exhibition of Work by ASU Graduate Students, Curated by Ashley Czajkowski, Tilt Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
2013 Bound/Rebound- Artist Made Books, Juror: Ashley Rice, Associate Director of Lisa Sette Gallery, Harry Wood Gallery, ASU, Tempe AZ
Four Corners: Southwest Juried Photography Show, SPE Southwest,
Juror: Ariel Shamburg, Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Denver
Heatwave: Desert Photography Exhibition and Symposium- traveling
exhibition, Juror: Rod Slemmons, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, University of Arizona, Tuscon, and Arizona State University, Tempe
2012 Opposition: Juried Exhibition, Graduate Student Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
2011 Synthesis: Mixed Media Photography, National Juried Exhibition,
Juror: Russel Joslin, The Darkroom, New Orleans, Louisiana
2010 The Portrait:A Juried Group Exhibition, L. Nowlin Gallery, Austin, Texas
Obscura: Click the Light Fantastic, National Juried Alternative Processes Photography Exhibition, The Soundry, Vienna, Virginia
2009 Formerly and Hereafter, International Online Juried Exhibition, Juror
Christina Z. Anderson, platestopixels.com
Kansas Collegiate Aesthetics, Juried State Exhibition, The Birger Sandzen Memorial Gallery, Lindsborg, Kansas
RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE
2018 Arizona State University, Faculty Associate, Digital Photography I & II, Online Create online video lectures and demonstrations, specific to digital photography and contemporary theory for digital media and the photograph as an artform. Facilitate group discussions and class critiques in online platforms. Create individualized video feedback for students
2018- Scottsdale Community College, Adjunct Faculty, Darkroom and Alt Pro Photo
2015 Photography I: Beginning analog film development and darkroom photographic printing
Photography II and Advanced Projects: Advanced darkroom techniques, fiber paper, medium format film, experimental technique and conceptual photographic theory.
Alternative Photo Processes: Alternative, experimental and historic photographic processes.
The Portfolio: Assist advanced art students to create a cohesive body of work and professional practices including writing artist statements, CVs, and creating a website.
Creative Push Project, Sound Technician & Story Editor
Assist in interviewing participants, creating and archiving media, editing sound files into seamless narratives.
2016 Eye Lounge Gallery and Artist Collective, President
Mesa Community College, Adjunct Faculty, Intro to Digital Photography Beginning digital photography, its technical and aesthetic aspects as a contemporary artform
Central Arizona College, Adjunct Faculty, Intro to Digital Photo & Photoshop Beginning techniques for digital photography and editing in Photoshop
2015- Arizona State University, Instructor of Record, Digital Media & Photography
2012 Introduction to Digital Media: Sole instructor of record, concerning raster graphics, vector graphics, animation sound and video art. utilizing Adobe Creative Suite programs
Photography I Instruct lab section of the photo course including both film and digital camera controls, analog film and darkroom printing, as well as digital photo editing and sequencing.
Gallery Archivist Create schedule with students and document work, photograph and archive student exhibitions.
Tilt Gallery, Assistant Curator, Scottsdale, Arizona
Reviewing and selecting artists’ work, assisting with preparations for exhibitions, handling public relations and sales, archiving works, assisting visiting artists and photographers
2015 Scottsdale Community College, Instructor, Digital Storytelling Workshop, Jr. Ace Program Summer Camp, Scottsdale
Design and structure the two week workshop, lead students in demos, lectures, discussions and creative activity
2014 Hayden’s Ferry Review, Art Editor, Tempe, Arizona
Reviewing and selecting artist submissions for publication in HFR literary magazine, layout design and image sequencing.
2012 Art Intersection, Workshop with Anna Strickland, Assistant, Gilbert, Arizona
Assist visiting artist with supply lists, preparation of chemistry and paper, guiding students with platinum/palladium and gum bichromate processes
2011 L.D. Vinci Studios, Drawing and Painting Instructor, Chandler, Arizona Setting up and preparing for classes, leading students in aspects of drawing and painting, focus and finishing on a deadline.
Connect S.C.C., Paiute Center, Workshop Assistant, Scottsdale, Arizona Assist in educating students on goals of the workshop, leading discussions, guide students in making photographs and using photographs and other materials to make an artist book
2009 Eppink Art Gallery, Emporia State University, Assistant, Emporia, Kansas Archiving artwork in permanent collection, matting and framing original artwork, installing and documenting exhibitions,
photographing collection and exhibitions, digitally enhancing photographs
ACCOLADES
2018 Ayatana Residency: Mortem, invited participant in artist research residency, Ontario, Canada
Invited juror for Emerge 2018, Student Photography exhibition, Art Intersection, Gilbert, Arizona
Work Published, Femme Fotale Volume V: Resistance, Resilience & Hope, January 2018
2017 The Artist Forward Fund, Inaugural Award and Grant Recipient, Phoenix Artlink
Work Published, LoosenArt: Image of the Savage, Exhibition Catalogue, May 2017
Work Published, Femme Fotale Leafless, February 2017
2016 Work Published, Femme Fotale Volume III: Analog and Alternative Process, September 2016
Work Published, In Sight: An Ekphrastic Collaboration between eye lounge and Four Chambers Press, Four Chambers Press, Phoenix, Arizona, March 2016 http://fourchamberspress.com/insight/
2015 SPE (Society for Photography Educators) Southwest Travel Scholarship, Society for Photographic Education National Conference, New Orleans, LA
Portfolio Published, Superstition [Review], Online Literary Magazine, Art Editor: Reagan Hanley, Issue 15, Spring 2015 https://superstitionreview.asu.edu/issue15/art/ashleyczajkowski
2013 Honorable Mention, Bound/Rebound, Juried Exhibition, Tempe, Arizona
2010 Best of Show Award, Uncorked, Juried Exhibition, Salado, Texas
2009 Emerging Artist Award, Kansas Arts Commission, Topeka, Kansas
People’s Choice Award, National Fellowship Competition, Wichita, Kansas National Photography Fellowship Recipient, Center Gallery, Wichita, KS Portfolio Published, Emerge Artzine, January 2009
2008 Art 96 Scholarship, Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas
REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST