Q&A with Ashley Ronning

Ashley Ronning is a Melbourne-based illustrator and artist. Her creative endeavours began when she was five and she cut her own hair to complete a picture of a pony. She can usually be found in her studio drawing, risograph printing or working on her next zine. When her pens are down she’s playing pinball, going to gigs or having a tinnie in the sunshine.

When and why did you start making zines?

I started making zines in 2008 when I attended a zine workshop with zine queen Vanessa Berry. It was wonderful! I soon made another zine with a few friends from high school and I’ve never stopped thinking about zines since.

What is your favourite thing about zines?

I love that there is zero barrier to access and zero gatekeepers to what can be published. You can literally make a zine about your belly button contents if you really wanted to.

Do you have a favourite zine (aside from your own!)? What is it and why do you like it?

I don’t think its possible for me to pick a favourite zine of all time, but my favourite right now is Return Of Love Man by David Kruger and Ben Marcus. It’s about an intergalactic being called Love Man who returns to earth to look for true love. It’s beautiful, heartfelt and incredibly silly.

You can view Ashley’s zine Various Things here