Shawn Ashley is an artist and musician from the Navajo reservation in Arizona. His art background is diverse: in his youth, he wrote graffiti developing his hand, and moved into an AAS in Fine Art, Studio Art; then he abandoned that to pursue music and performing on stage for the past eighteen years.

Mr. Ashley draws strength and inspiration to continue his art from his Navajo teachings, the hardship and desolation of reservation life, and his rockabilly roots. He believes performing on stage is the rawest, realist form of self expression. As an artist, he embraces the spirit of the Italian painter Caravaggio’s words: “Nec spe, nec metu” — without hope, without fear.