Ash + Chess is a cute stationery company run by queer and trans power couple Ashley Molesso (she/her) and Chess Needham (he/him), based out of Richmond, VA. They create greeting cards and art prints that utilize bold, retro color palettes and they often use their artwork to make a political statement.
Their company made its debut at the National Stationery Show in May 2017, and since then over 150 retailers throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia sell their art and stationery.
Ash + Chess have worked on many collaborations, including artwork for Belletrist, a book club run by actress Emma Roberts and Karah Preiss; book illustrations for HarperCollins and Workman Publishing; t-shirt designs for The Style Club x Forever 21; and exclusive designs and patterns for Plaza Style, a Japanese retail brand. They are the authors of their own illustrated book about LGBTQ+ history, The Gay Agenda: A Modern Queer History & Handbook.
