Ash Gaude, an oil painter, investigates the common experience of what it means to be a young adult in the world today. She paints portraits of her friends that document the zeitgeist of Gen Z. This means capturing spontaneous images of them in bars, apartments, or on the street and then using paint to highlight key emotions of young adulthood within her generation. Being captivated by human experiences and painting, Gaude finds peace in filling her studio with familiar faces.

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Gaude, currently located in New Orleans, LA, has lived all over the United States and in the West Indies, influencing her focus in portraiture. Gaude obtained her Bachelors of Arts at the University of New Orleans. Gaude was awarded the Tolmas Scholars grant from the University of New Orleans, where she created multiple artworks for InnovateUNO 2020 and won 1st place in the arts division. During the summers she teaches art to elementary school students at the Metairie Park Country Day School. Gaude is currently an MFA candidate at the University of New Orleans, where she has an assistantship teaching Drawing I & Drawing II.