AdamAshlock Art399 Portfolio

Author/Artist Name

Adam R. Ashlock Mr., Murray State UniversityFollow

Files

Academic Level at Time of Creation

Senior

Date of Creation

Spring 5-7-2025

Artist Statement

Art is a space where humor and absurdity are welcomed with open arms. It's a way to break down barriers and connect with others—especially when traditional social interactions are challenging. Growing up with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) means I've navigated a world that often feels out of sync with how my brain works. Conversations are challenges, and it’s easy to feel disconnected from the people around me. Humor, however, has always been my in. It's a great way to find common ground and create a shared experience that feels natural even when other forms of connection don’t. Whether through animation or live-action, humor and storytelling in these films serves as a way to reveal deeper truths about life, even in the most ridiculous parameters.
Aesthetic choices often lean toward subversion and unpredictability, taking the ordinary and transforming it into something strange or comedic. Freelance is a perfect example of this approach, a live-action project reflecting the experiences of a broke, full-time college student. The video follows my attempts to earn money through odd jobs over two days, only for it to vanish in an instant as debt takes over. The punchline, “I hate my life,” followed by a bouncy credits song, captures that dark humor and highlights how even the mundane struggles of life can become a source of comedy. Humor here is more than just entertainment—it's a coping mechanism and a way to make these universal struggles more relatable and enjoyable. I work in both animation and live-action, using each medium to explore humor in different ways—animation gives me the freedom to push the boundaries of reality, while live-action offers a more grounded, human experience.
With Autism, thinking is unpredictable and often non-linear. I don't fully plan out my projects—just a rough outline—because trusting instinct and letting ideas develop in real time is how the best work happens. Thoughts jump from one idea to another in unexpected ways, and the unpredictability is something I embrace in the film process. This free-flowing approach often leads to random, absurd ideas, and it’s in this space that the most interesting creative decisions are made. Animation, in particular, resonates with me because it most mirrors how my mind operates; It's silly, whimsical, and a little detached from a straight pathway. It's a special interest that's very near and dear to me.
In the same light, the work of contemporary artists deeply shapes how I approach storytelling and comedy. Craig McCracken was a man who started young in the industry and hit gold with his brilliant techniques, his shows having emotional depth, character-driven stories, and bold visual styles. The defiance of Everett Peck’s Duckman was like hate mail to the censors, defying the expectation that crude, rude and dark humor couldn't touch your heart and be a major player in adult animation. It's here where I derived my comedic philosophy that nothing is truly off limits, and that Comedy should always leave you different than when it found you. John Baldessari’s use of humor to break down conceptual barriers is another influence. His ability to challenge the status quo while engaging with absurdity is something I aim to replicate—high-concept humor mixed with accessibility, challenging norms while inviting people in to laugh along.
Ultimately, my goal is simple: to entertain. Having Autism has made connecting with others difficult in many ways, but through these films, I’ve found a way to bridge that gap, and show people the many facets of who this artist is. This work is a conversation with the audience. No matter the reaction, the only hope is that the experience will create a lasting memory, one we can both share. Through my work, the message is clear: This is who I am, and I hope you enjoy what you see, friend.

Advisor/Mentor

Mike Martin, Jim Bryant

Description

Much of my work comes from Photoshop, and thus has varying sizes. You may notice a recurring grey character, whos name is Whinot Toonish, an online stand in for myself. He is designed as a modern rendition of the classic 1930s rubber hose cartoon characters, and thus has a very fluid and ever changing style to his design, always keeping the same consistencies however. He takes up the majority of my work, as he is my main focus in much of my work as an artist, more of a mascot than anything else. He's the face of my online presence, and as such has been illustrated in a variety of different depictions and settings across the past several years.

Other works are of course included within this Exhibition that have nothing to do with my mascot Whinot. Theres the logo to my first app prototype Worthless Wisdom a sardonic take on motivational apps, thus the middle finger. Several of my blender files and 3D prints are also on display, mostly focused on making audiences confused, disturbed or concerned for a comical reaction.There are my various early wood sculptures, all of which centered around me slapping things together thoughtlessly and deciding what they were afterwords. And finally, there are the oddly nonspecific illustrations, that may not fit into any specific category, but still reflect my attitude of a methodical madness.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Ashlock, Adam R. Mr., "AdamAshlock Art399 Portfolio" (2025). Professional Practices (ART 399). 178.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art399/178