About Nocturna
Nocturna is the present iteration of artwork, accessories, and altar goods by Ashi Reddy (she/they). Originally known as Asphyxia, Ashi started as a hobbyist vendor in 2010 at local Vancouver anime conventions artist alleys.
In the beginning, Ashi was working with polymer clays and primarily making simple jewelry and hair accessories. A trained hair stylist, Ashi also offered on-site wig styling services for cosplayers.
Much of the product reflected the markets and communities at which Ashi was selling. Some items were from fandoms trending at the time like Sailor Moon and Undertale. Others represented Ashi’s personal favorite shows and games like Final Fantasy, The Evil Within and Resident Evil.
In 2016 Ashi rebranded her shop to Nocturna to better reflect her developing aesthetic visions and preferences. She started branching out into jewelry and accessories less directed towards anime and video game fandoms and more towards gothic and spiritual designs. Ashi also expanded her crafts to include home and display décor but with the same darker, macabre direction as her accessories.
A cosplayer herself, Ashi had some experience with epoxy resin for cosplay props, and eventually decided to learn more about resin art and crafting. Ashi spent hours of online research and days of trial and error, eventually developing what would later become her signature art style.
In 2018 Ashi began selling resin crafts and truly found her stride at the artist alleys and festivals. Her inventory now included items like resin keychains, charms, rings and dice trays. She also continued growing her brand with more occult pieces like resin crystals and spirit boards and planchettes.
A very successful weekend in 2020 in Victoria emboldened Ashi’s efforts into what was until now mostly just a side hobby. She had a new drive to make Nocturna a true side business, commissioning new graphics and designs to genuinely make the brand her own.
In 2022, Ashi launched her cosmetics line, Nocturna Alchemy, which had been a dream of hers for years. Through Nocturna Alchemy, Ashi started selling bath salts, lip glosses, and a line of water-activated eyeliners.
Nocturna is at present a shop selling at events not just in Metro Vancouver, but now in Alberta and soon Ontario and Quebec. A decade-long journey in finding an artistic voice has now found an audience excited to find “the lady selling the witchy things”. And Ashi is only getting started!