
My practice examines the intersection of history, place, and identity through painting, photography, and printmaking. As an artist inspired by history, I often find myself incorporating more traditional techniques into my contemporary work. I am drawn to how the past can help us understand our present time, and the artisanal craftsmanship found in everyday life before major industrialization. Examining shifts in western culture’s priorities towards the decorative arts and identity through art shapes the perspective I take when creating.
I frequently return to the Appalachian landscape as a consistent reminder of my home and a strong foundation of imagery, preserving this ancient natural setting into a contemporary frame as much landscape is endangered by mountaintop removal and industry development. My approach allows me to consider how historical, naturalistic preservation and regional development can coincide and reflect on how art can advocate for progress and conservation.
Through my process, I aim to advocate for historic preservation, human rights, and Appalachian culture. I want my work to communicate cycles of humanity and the role communities have in cultural and social progress.
Artist Statement:
CONTACT
Coming Up
Western Maryland Artist Studio Tour
October 18 & 19 | October 25 & 26
11 A.M. – 5 P.M.
Gilchrist Gallery | 104 Washington St. Cumberland MD 21502
Ava Breighner is a senior at Frostburg State University, where she is majoring in Fine Arts with minors in Art History and Theatrical Studies. While her primary focus is painting and photography, her practice is multi-disciplinary, spanning printmaking, collage, and textiles.
She spent two semesters in northern England at Northumbria University, participating in its contemporary Fine Arts module with a collaborative course with the BALTIC Center for Contemporary Art. During this time, she exhibited her work at the university’s Gallery North.
Ava has also shown her work regionally. Her solo debut in 2023 took place in the Bev Walker Gallery, and that same year she coordinated an exhibit at the C. William Gilchrist Museum of Fine Arts for the Beta Mu chapter of Kappa Pi Arts Honors Society, which she reinstated at Frostburg State.