Goodbye Ash Garden Party

12PM / 21+ / Free Chicago, if you havent already heard the news, I must confess, I am moving away. March 31st me, my pickup truck, my smol cat and 10 pre-approved survival tools hit the dusty trail eastbound. While Ive been laying the ground work and photo connections for a couple years this move came as a bit of a surprise. Sending my world upside down, completely topsy turvy! This has been the craziest month of my life. IThank you to everyone who has helped me pull this feat off, everyone who has made some photo work with me during my last weeks as a Chicago resident. I cant even express what it feels like to be moving away from this city. To venture out of the comforting arms of the community I have built. To not be within walking distance of my beloved willow tree, my friends. To remove the possibility of an Empty Bottle drop in from my night out. To not walk out the door to my neighbor Else working in her yard, to put over 800 miles between me and Lake Michigan. The amount of love and support I have felt from all of you from the moment I set foot on this land in 2013 to these few weeks has completely floored me. I have been earth shatteringly changed living here, so moved by the life Ive gotten to share here with you all. From the strangers I met online or in the wild my first weeks here who have grown to friends and regular subjects, all the artists I met and photographed with Kate and Inside\Within, every band I checked in and stamped at the Bottle, every photo client Ive had since venturing out of the service industry, every patch of wild prairie land has all accumulated into this version of Ash and I am immeasurably better for it. I came here an utter fool and am leaving slightly less of a fool and bursting with love!If Ive ever taken your photo, served you beer or breakfast, laughed or cried with you, helped open a 1000 person venue with you, worked some random ass gig with you, walked past you daily in the park, if I came to your studio for Inside\Within - Id love to see you for a TTFN. Ive youve ever been to my annual Garden Party that is the vibe, except Indoors, pot luck style daytime at The Empty Bottle. Where my Chicago journey started ?? -Id love it if you wore your version of Garden Formal. -No pictures please. I will no doubt be ugly crying the entire time.:)Ash Dyewww.ashleighdye.com

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