Local author and illustrator Ashley Wolff visited Proctor Junior/Senior High School to speak with middle school students as well as AP English and Art students about her craft. As she presented, she invited students into the drawing experience.

Wolff took turns asking individuals to share their name along with a type of food and an animal that matches the first letter of their name. “My name is Aislin, and I'm going as an ape and bringing apples,” Aislin Cook said, watching Wolff draw the apples with the ape.

"It was cool; (her) drawings were interesting,” 7th grader Rowan Firliet said of her presentation. 

Wolff has published over 50 books and has helped illustrate more than 60.  She is known for her love of hybrid books, which blend fact and fiction. 

She has a unique connection to our area, having grown up in Middlebury and now living in Leicester.

She found joy in drawing from a young age, a passion that has continued throughout her life. “I always drew because I loved it,” she says. She notes that while many children draw, adults often stop, suggesting a loss of creative spirit as they mature.

Her artistic journey included a move to California. There she learned to work left to right, a technique that shaped the direction and flow of her artwork. “Moving left to right helps how I want all my pictures to be,” she explains. 

She emphasizes that the key ingredients to becoming an artist are the four Ps: ”passion, practice, patience, and perseverance.” She says these are valuable words to keep in mind when wanting to achieve anything in life.

Students say her journey as an artist is “truly inspiring.”

Her first published book was called The Year of the Birds. It is a book about a young girl named Ellie who observes various bird species throughout the 12 months of the year. 

Wolff shares that she enjoys using particular materials, “oil pastel markers are great to draw with,” she says, filling the paper with exotic work. “I want to fill the paper when I draw.” 

Ashley Wolff’s visit left students both inspired and eager to create, reminding them that with passion, practice, patience, and perseverance, their own artistic dreams are within reach. Her engaging presentation showed that creativity can last a lifetime if you never stop drawing and believing in your ideas.