Ashlynn Prince

​Ashlynn Prince - Arkansas
Interviewed by Zoe D'Angelo
Nomination and Photography by Luna Photography
​Issue 20 Inspiring Teens Magazine

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​The Nomination: Ashlynn Prince; She has a taste for the world as shown when she studied abroad in Japan for six weeks the summer of her sophomore year. She is extremely artistic and wants to inspire others the way the world has inspired her over the years. Art Club

Photography by Luna Photography

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​How did your art career begin? When did you start getting interested in art? 
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My mom is the elementary art teacher at my school—naturally, I as I grew up, I wanted to do art, too, and she always supported me in my growing passion. In about seventh grade, I started to get serious about the arts—music, traditional art, digital art, writing, all of it. My high school art teacher, Lisa French, is my amazing mentor and good friend, and she has helped me so much throughout my high school career.

Art Image by Ashlynn Prince

​Where does most of your art inspiration come from? What is your one favorite piece you have created? Why? 
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Most of my inspiration comes from the world around me; other art pieces online or near me. Other times is it solely on my emotions and experiences. I am still learning and growing in the art world, so it’s very impossible to pick a favorite art piece of mine, but I am very proud of my murals honoring Vietnam War Veterans, which I painted with my best friend, Summer Rose Rohrer.

"Above and below are two murals that my best friend--and fellow artist--collaborated on. Her name is Summer Rose Rohrer! They are one artwork, meant to mirror each other, honoring the Vietnam War Veterans. They are of two soldiers walking through Vietnam, and then of the same soldiers walking along the Vietnam Wall years later. In the first mural of Vietnam scenery, the pictures fading into the mist are those of war and battle, while the other painting with the wall depicts those lost as well as soldiers returning home. This piece took months of hard work but we are very happy with the way it turned out, and it is currently on display at the Stars and Stripes Museum in Bloomfield, Missouri. Each canvas is 7ft x 6ft."

Tell us about your trip to Japan. 
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My trip to Japan included my first plane ride—or, should I say my first seven plane rides? Through Youth for Understanding (YFU), I was granted a scholarship and the unbelievable opportunity to stay with a host family for six weeks as well as attend high school in Ichinomiya, Aichi during the summer of my sophomore year.
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"Taken by my Host Father. This was taken at Nagoya Castle in Nagoya, Japan."

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What were some interesting places you saw? 
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I saw the Japanese Sky Tree, went to Shirakawa-go, Tanabata (The Star Festival) in Ichinomiya, and Nagoya Castle, and experienced so much of their culture. My host family consisted of nine people other than me: 5 boys, 4 girls—and their cat. They were so welcoming, and they made my trip unforgettable. 

"Picture was taken by my Host Mother. I am wearing a Yukata that is traditional at the Tanabata Festival."

What was your favorite part about the whole trip? 

There’s just no way that I can pick a favorite part of the trip; it was all so sensational. I will never forget the people that supported me and the experiences I had in Japan. It was life-changing and gave me a thirst to explore the world around me.
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I would love to go back to Japan to visit my host family and explore some more! 

"The fairy/girl/mythical creature picture is a digital artwork that I created early in the school year; it took a lot of time, and I'm somewhat pleased with how it turned out, but I am still practicing digital art!"

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​Where is another location you would want to visit? Why would you want to go here? What would you do when you arrived to your dream location? 

I plan to study abroad in college; I would love to go Italy, France, Britain, or Japan again. In the far future, I want to live in one of the aforementioned countries and pursue my career in animation.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be where you are today?
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Don’t wait around for someone to chase your dreams for you. You have to work, and branch out, and let those around you support you when you step out of your comfort zone. And never, ever, stop dreaming.

"The plainer digital artwork is a sketch of sorts of a blue dragon that I thought of. It is simple but I appreciate it's simplicity; I was just practicing with this piece, as there is not much depth to it."

​Where do you see yourself in 5 years/what are your plans for the future?
I am going to attend Webster University for animation, and I want to travel the world, inspiring everyone I can the same way my family and the world has inspired me.

What about you inspires others/why do you think you are inspiring?
I try to look on the positive, and I dream all the time. I work to pursue my dreams, even though I am a small-town girl who just wants to explore the world around me.

How do you keep yourself organized with everything you have on your plate?
Well, that one’s tricky; I just go with the flow. I keep my dates straight by writing them down in a planner, and the rest of the time I have to spare is pretty much just balancing my life as I go.

​What is your favorite activity or pastime that wasn’t in your nomination?
I love watching anime and sniffing out animators online.

Who do you find inspiring?
My parents have inspired me my whole life. I want to work like they have to provide for me and my siblings, and I want to do it while doing what I love. I want to make them proud.

Pizza or Tacos? Soda or Water? Cats or Dogs?
Pizza. Water. Dogs. Period.

3 Things on your bucket list
Eating pasta in Italy, making enough money to buy my parents a great house in a great place, and hosting at least one foreign exchange student.

Anything else you’d like to tell us?
I couldn’t be where I am today without the support of my friends and family. I will always hold them dear and I will make them proud. I am ready to move on from home, but I will never forget the arms the held me up throughout my life. I thank them and love them all. I would also like to again thank Inspiring Teens Magazine and Esther Luna for this amazing opportunity to share my story!


Ashlynn Prince will be featured in Issue 20 of Inspiring Teens Magazine!

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