Claire Ashley received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (USA) and her BFA (Hons) from Gray's School of Art (Aberdeen). Originally from Edinburgh, she is now Chicago based. She teaches at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the Department of Contemporary Practices and the Department of Painting and Drawing.

Ashley's work investigates inflatables such as painting, sculpture, installation, and performance costume. These works have been exhibited nationally and internationally in galleries, museums, site-specific installations, performances, and collaborations. In addition, her work has been featured on blogs such as Studio International, VICE, Hyperallergic, Artforum, and in magazines such as Sculpture Magazine, Art Papers, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Time Out Chicago, Yorkshire Post, and Condé Nast Traveler (European).