Gryffin Conservatory & Conservancy was founded by and is solely operated by Ashley E. Smith. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of South Florida and is a graduate student in the Field of Museum Studies at Harvard University. She will graduate with the class of 2026, with plans to become an Exhibition Developer. She is passionate about clean water and conservation and hopes to bring these passions into her exhibitions under the umbrella of Gryffin.

As an artist, Ashley creates pieces for Gryffin River Shack, intended for gathering together, that tell stories about the watery world around us. We hope conversations around her collected pieces will educate our neighbors and raise awareness to the admirable, real-time efforts of our collaborators in restoring the health of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. All the oysters in her pieces were originally sourced from Virginia’s rivers. For the last two seasons, Ashley has been sponsored by Whiskey & Oyster, out of Alexandria, Virginia, in partnership with the Oyster Recovery Partnership. She often collaborates with The Potomac Riverkeeper Network, in alliance with Waterkeepers Chesapeake, and is excited to help with their “50 Million Mussels” campaign. A single oyster, which thrives in brackish coastal waters, can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. In fresh water, like our Potomac, mussels are the key.

Ashley currently serves as a Commissioner for the Arts with the City of Alexandria, is the Social Media Developer for the Sailing Club of Washington, is the former Social Development Coordinator for Alexandria Community Rowing, and is a freelance artist, most recently photographing the Old Town Festival of Speed & Style for The Alexandria Times.

Outside of Gryffin and graduate degree pursuits, Ashley is a full time Registered Nurse. She works as a surgical liaison for electrophysiology cardiac procedures, after a long career as a cardiovascular critical care nurse in Tampa, Florida.   

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