All images by Dolly Ave. Used with permission.
As a teen growing up in Sikeston, Missouri, Dolly Ave could be found exploring her surroundings with a camera. She ventured into lesser-known urban landscapes, capturing youth culture from the inside-out. There, she found a community of artists and creatives, spending every free moment she could behind the lens. Always one for the spontaneous rather than the staged, her style developed in the streets more than in the studio. She quickly built a reputation for intimate, colorful photos with a splash of personality.
By 2017, her career had skyrocketed. At just 22