MEGAN ASHMAN GALLERY
EXPERIENCE ART AS MAGIC
ORIGINAL MIXED-MEDIA ARTWORK
Broken Open
Megan Ashman
270
PUBLISHED
SIZE
10x8
MEDIUM
Mixed media on canvas
COLLECTION
Places & Spaces, People & Portraits, Emotion & Themes, Psychedelic & Surreal, Spirit & Dreams, Abstract & Concepts
SUBCOLLECTION
Realms, Portraits, Women, Romance, Trauma, Hands & Eyes, Abstract
YEAR
✦
Secure Checkout
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Carefully Packaged
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Certificate of Authenticity
✦
Direct Studio Support
ABOUT THE WORK
Artwork Description
A Black woman in serene contemplation—eyes closed, hand resting near face in meditative gesture—occupies the left foreground, her skin glowing against explosive background of hot pink, sunshine yellow, turquoise, coral, and burnt orange.
Behind her, an ornate carved wooden door with elaborate circular patterns stands sentinel—threshold unopened, destination unknown.
Most striking: scattered throughout the lower composition are broken eggshells, their fragile curves and fractured edges rendered in terracotta and cream tones.
The eggs represent fertility, potential, birth, or the necessary breaking that precedes emergence.
Heavy impasto creates actual dimension where paint becomes sculpture.
The woman's peaceful expression contrasts with the violence of breaking—she is not distressed by the destruction but perhaps accepts it as necessary transformation.
A teal heart-shaped element hovers near her chest, suggesting what survives even when everything else cracks open.
HOW IT WAS MADE
Materials & Process
mediums/materials: phosphorescent paints, found objects, paper, wax, photo collage, oxidative inks, distress paint and inks, acrylic pouring, digitally altered images, acrylic paint, watercolor, spray paint, walnut ink, staining mediums, tissue paper, mica powders, glitter, heavy gel medium, gesso, pebeo prism and fantasy paints, ceramic paint, stained glass paint, alcohol inks, iridescent inks, distress crayons, charcoal, pastels, oil pastels, string, beads, jewelry, gems, chains, buttons, foils, newspaper, vinyl, plastic, walnut inks, india ink, colorshift paints and more!
THE ARTIST'S VOICE
Interpretation / Story
This profound piece explores the concept of being "broken open" rather than broken down—the way trauma, loss, or crisis can crack us like eggs, releasing something new that could not emerge any other way. The woman's serenity suggests hard-won peace with this process, or perhaps the Buddhist concept of accepting suffering as teacher. The piece also speaks to Black women's experience specifically: the ornate door they stand before despite broken shells at their feet, the beauty and strength maintained through what would shatter others, the heart that persists through every breaking.
She gathered the shells of every self she'd been and called them threshold, not ruin.
WHAT LIVES INSIDE
Hidden Images & Symbolic Elements
The contemplative woman represents Black femininity, inner strength, spiritual practice, and the wisdom that comes through surviving what should have destroyed you. The ornate door symbolizes opportunities, thresholds, choices, or the doorways we stand before when life breaks us open to new possibilities. Broken eggs carry complex symbolism: fertility and miscarriage, potential and failure, the necessary destruction of old forms so new life can emerge, or the violence inherent in all birth processes. The heart shape suggests love, emotional center, or what remains intact within breaking. Her closed eyes indicate inward focus—this transformation happens in invisible dimensions.
BEFORE YOU COLLECT
Framing & Shipping Notes
01
ORIGINAL ARTWORK
This is the one-of-a-kind original, hand-created by Megan Ashman. No prints or reproductions are sold as originals.
02
SHIPS CAREFULLY PACKAGED
Each work is packed with archival materials and shipped with care. Insurance and tracking are included with every order.
03
FRAMING
This work ships unframed. Framing advice is available on request — we can suggest dimensions that suit the piece and your display context.
04
QUESTIONS BEFORE PURCHASING
Collectors are warmly encouraged to contact the studio before purchasing. We welcome all questions about scale, display, and condition.
PRIVATE COLLECTOR SUPPORT
Need to see more before collecting?
Request additional images, ask about scale and display, or schedule a private studio visit.