Join us for the gallery opening of "Protected Peace"!
Sept. 7 | 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | The Union, Warren Second Floor Lounge

Meet Ashley Dondes, a senior majoring in Media Arts and Design with a concentration in Digital Video and Cinema and a minor in Art. She is excited to share her gallery collection, “Protected Peace”, which captures the beauty of Cumberland Island, a protected national seashore of Georgia.  

Ashley’s journey to photography started off on the wrong foot three years ago after an injury in club cheer forced her to sit on the sidelines. She still wanted to have an impact on her team, so Ashley decided to connect with her teammates in a unique way. Off the mat, she documented videos and photos of the team. This unforeseen circumstance empowered Ashley to develop a new love for photography and videography which culminated in a creative degree and major change from Kinesiology to Media Arts and Design.  

Through James Madison University’s Community Engagement and Volunteer Center, Ashley had the wonderful opportunity to do an alternative spring break to Cumberland Island. During her time there, she helped clean up and maintain the island with other James Madison University students. Ashley was actively involved with her team when she was doing service projects, but when she was not working, she took that time to document the beauty that was right in front of her.  

As she took photos of the island, Ashley wanted to document the beauty of nature and remind individuals of everything nature has to offer. Society can act selfishly due to convenience, which diminishes the resources and beauty that nature has to offer. Ashley became even more conscious of her environmental footprint during her time in Cumberland. Since being home, this trip left a lasting impact on her as she goes about her daily life and has made her very aware and appreciative of what is in front of her.  

Ashley reflects that many people act subconsciously in relation to their environment, but being in a protected area allowed her to see the bigger picture, the greater impact, and what one individual can do to help. This opportunity helped her to understand aspects that she could have only experienced during her time at Cumberland Island. Ashley hopes that her collection will remind people of the beauty of nature and what it has to offer. 

View the full collection