Driven by the images that get stuck in her mind, Atlanta-based illustrator Kat Ash digs into the mundane scenes of our lives to uncover the surreal and absurd. “I’m endlessly intrigued by how the inner workings of the mind, like thoughts, fears and memories, can also take on visual form,” she says. “And I’m equally inspired by narratives that move me and by observing patterns or marks that feel alive, too. It lets me provide a little bit of spontaneity from the original concept or layout.” Ash’s creativity has always been an integral quality in her life, from studying ballet to exploring music, textile design and weaving. She continually found herself returning to the visual arts and, at 27, decided to make it her profession. “My creative voice has developed slowly, through discipline, my inner anxieties, curiosity, and plenty of trial and error,” Ash explains. “Ballet taught me precision, while my visual art has led me to freedom, in a sense. My work now lives somewhere in between those two spaces.” Her illustrations frequently incorporate themes that she takes interest in, such as psychology or the natural world, and her innate sense of color imbues her work with emotion and atmospheric qualities. “I balance structure with instinct, along with precision and looseness,” says Ash on her process. “Though much of my work is created digitally now, I aim to leave traces of the hand, whether that be brush textures or imperfections, among other things. In an increasingly AI-driven world, I think that the human touch matters more than ever.”