Obituary for Ashlyn Julia Metcalf Faulkner

January 23, 1990 - December 6, 2023

Ashlyn Julia Metcalf Faulkner, born January 23, 1990, in Oklahoma, left this world on December 6, 2023. A bright and beloved soul, Ashlyn was raised in Catoosa, Oklahoma, where she graduated from Catoosa High School before earning her degree in Art Education from Northeastern State University. She married Anthony Faulkner in 2018.

Ashlyn lived a vibrant life rooted in creativity, compassion, and courage. She spent over five years teaching art, pouring her heart into her students and the classroom. She also worked in the architectural field as an office manager, blending her organizational talents with her artistic eye.

A gifted painter and muralist, Ashlyn's work was known for its painterly realism and evocative juxtapositions of nature and cerebral imagery. A '90s child with her head in the clouds and feet firmly planted in the woods, Ashlyn nurtured her imagination through reading fantasy novels, hiking, and creating. At age 16, following surgery for scoliosis, she experienced a turning point that deepened her meditative view of the world and led her to the work of Frida Kahlo-an artist who would become one of her greatest inspirations.

Ashlyn's art lives on in colorful murals across Oklahoma, each piece a testament to her love of beauty, nature, and storytelling. She was featured in the Edmond Chamber of Commerce brochure and widely recognized for her unique creative voice. She colored the world with her beauty-inside and out-and left every space more vibrant than she found it.

Beyond her art, Ashlyn was a powerful advocate and volunteer. She was a founding member of the @oksurvivorjustice coalition, dedicating herself to criminalized survivors of domestic violence in Oklahoma's prisons. Her volunteerism earned her the 2023 Volunteer of the Year award from the Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. She was especially devoted to the campaign to free April Wilkens, using both her voice and her art to call for justice and healing.

Ashlyn was also a woman of faith. As a Christian, she carried the love and compassion of Christ. Her life reflected grace, empathy, and a belief in the power of redemption.

Ashlyn's spirit was luminous-brave, imaginative, and deeply kind. She lit up every room with her positive energy, generous heart, and visionary creativity. Her legacy is woven into every life she touched, every wall she painted, and every cause she championed.

Ashlyn is survived by her loving parents who are deeply proud of her, Aubrey and Michelle Metcalf of Catoosa; her brothers, Avery James Metcalf and Micah Metcalf; her grandparents, Audie and Janice Bradshaw and Ann Metcalf, all of Catoosa; and her cherished niece, Grace Lyn Metcalf. She is also mourned by countless extended family members, friends, fellow artists, and advocates who were touched by her life and love.

In honoring her memory, may we continue to see the world through the lens she gifted us-with color, courage, faith, and a belief in transformation.

Memorial Service has been scheduled for 10am, Monday, December 11, 2023, at Lynn Lane Baptist Church, 1200 S. Lynn Lane Road, Tulsa, OK 74108.