Meet Ashley Gurley who feels found in books.

If you’ve been connected to our community for a while, then you already know how we feel about “hustle” culture. One other thing that we’re getting REAL tired of is the requirement for women to live in a world where we have to be constantly resilient.

Why is it not enough to just be?

The frustration with our society celebrating hustle and resiliency led to a very interesting conversation between our founder. Catherine Porth, and photographer, Ashley Gurley, in late 2022.

That conversation is what sparked the inspiration for The Found Project.

We started this project because we are believers in the power of rest — it’s in periods of rest, when we are doing something for pure enjoyment, that we can rediscover who we really are. The woman who was there all along – growing despite the societal pressures and NOISE from the outside world.

It only seemed fitting that the last woman we feature in this project is Ashley herself. Not only did Ashley photograph the other 11 fabulous portraits we’ve been teasing all month — but she had the additional challenge of taking a self-portrait!

Both growing up and today, Ashley likes to escape to and feels found in books.

As a child, Ashley’s mother would often be searching for her — to finish her homework or to work on household chores — and Ashley would be hiding, usually in a tree, with a book. Her favorite book? Anne of Green Gables.

“There is nothing like getting lost in a story. I find that books are such a mirror for us…I’m able to look at myself and see where I am in the stories and remind myself of my bravery, and courage, and MY strength, and all of the things I have accomplished in my life.”