Sometimes you say yes to an event without fully knowing what to expect. That was the case for me when my friend Lindsay invited me to 30 Over 30: A Night of Art + Empowerment, an event hosted by Body Art Boudoir to benefit PAAR, a local organization that supports victims of sexual violence.
Lindsay and I go way back. We completed our 200-hour yoga teacher training together at South Hills Power Yoga more than a decade ago—time really does fly. After several years living abroad in London with her black cat, Dora, she’s recently returned to the area, and it felt fitting that one of our first outings together would be an event centered on art, beauty, and female empowerment. Those are sentiments I can always get behind.
A Snowy Arrival
The dress code for the evening encouraged guests to “wear whatever makes you feel sexy, alive, fabulous, and amazing.” I decided on a pair of new suede boots and a silk slip dress layered with a comfy crème sweater over the top, (it’s January in Pittsburgh, after all!)
After parking on the street, I realized I’d have to take the long path to the venue, carefully navigating patches of pavement uncovered by mounds of snow so as not to damage my new boots. Ten days prior, we’d experienced a record-breaking snowstorm, and with the temperatures still frigid, most of it hadn’t melted.
By the time I arrived at Franklin on Penn in the Strip District, a former bank transformed into a chic event space, I was ready to be swept into a night of art, affirmation, and connection.
A Bank Turned Gallery
The event was held in the Strip District at Franklin on Penn, a former bank that has been transformed into a chic event space. For the evening, it took on yet another identity—this time as an art gallery.
Guests were welcomed with heavy hors d’oeuvres, a chocolate fountain, custom-decorated cookies, and beautifully frosted cupcakes. There was also a raffle featuring prizes from local women-owned businesses, and the first 30 guests received thoughtfully curated swag bags.
But the real focus of the evening was the artwork.
Along the perimeter walls hung thirty large-scale, 30-by-40-inch black-and-white photographs. Each portrait featured 30 brave women who chose to step in front of the camera, many of them in attendance at the event. The images were bold, soft, feminine, daring, and powerful—sometimes all at once. Each photograph captured not just a pose, but a presence.
These weren’t anonymous models. They were real women in the room.
An Exercise in Affirmation
At the entrance, each attendee was given a small stack of stickers. On each sticker was a word of affirmation—words like strong, resilient, radiant, courageous, beautiful. These words were chosen intentionally, they were words each client expressed they wanted to feel when viewing their artwork.
“This is a question I ask every client before scheduling their shoot,” Ashley explained. “When you see your artwork, how do you want to feel? This is a practice of embodiment,” she says of her process.
We were invited to walk around the gallery and place our stickers next to the portraits we felt connected to, on the placards bearing each woman’s name. It wasn’t a contest. There was no judging. No ranking. No winners.
It was simply about affirmation. Body positivity. Self-love.
There was something deeply moving about that small gesture. You weren’t just admiring a photograph; you were offering a quiet, anonymous message of encouragement to the woman in it. A reminder that her story, her presence, and her courage were seen.
A Conversation Between Friends
As Lindsay and I wandered around the gallery, studying each portrait, we found ourselves talking about whether either of us would ever do a boudoir photoshoot.
I told her about something I’ve thought about many times over the years.
Ten years ago, after we finished our yoga teacher training, a few of our teacher friends each did their own professional yoga photoshoots. I didn’t do one. At the time, I told myself I just wanted to lose five or ten pounds first. I wanted to feel more “ready.” More “perfect.”
My friends each went on to do their individual yoga teacher photoshoots. I never stepped in front of the camera.
It’s funny how often we delay things in the name of perfection, only to realize later that the imperfect version of ourselves was worth celebrating all along.
Boudoir for me? I don’t think so.
What I do know is that seeing Ashley’s work up close, and hearing the stories behind it, gave me a new appreciation for the art form. These weren’t just photos. They were visual testimonies of courage, transition, and self-acceptance.
Her tagline says it best: “You are the art.”
The Stories Behind the Images
In the center of the space, about 150 chairs were arranged facing a simple setup: a sofa and a stool. This was where the emotional heart of the evening unfolded.
Ashley, the founder and photographer / artist of Body Art Boudoir, opened the program with a heartfelt tribute to her work and the women she photographs. She spoke about how boudoir sessions often mark a significant moment in a woman’s life.
Some are about to get married.
Some are welcoming a child.
Some have decided they would simply like to celebrate.
Some are newly divorced.
Some are navigating major health challenges.
Each woman chooses that moment in time for a reason—because of what she has endured, overcome, or is about to face. She shows up imperfect, flawed, and completely herself.
Ashley then invited a panel of recent clients to share their experiences. All three had their artwork on display that evening, and each shared a story of their transformation and growth.
One woman spoke about preparing for chemotherapy and a double mastectomy. She knew she would soon lose her hair, her breasts—features she associated with her femininity. She scheduled her boudoir session after chemo and healing from surgeries. For her, it was a reclamation of her body after surviving all of these challenges, and celebrating her femininity again.
Another woman described booking her session when she turned 50. For her, it was about celebrating a milestone and reclaiming her sense of beauty and confidence.
Each woman told a different story, but the emotional throughline was the same. They described the experience as transformational. Healing. Empowering.
It wasn’t about looking perfect. It was about showing up.
More Than an Event
By the end of the evening, it was clear that 30 Over 30 was about much more than photographs. It was about creating a space where women could feel seen, affirmed, and supported—by the art on the walls and by each other.
It was also about community. The event raised awareness and funds for PAAR, an organization doing critical work for survivors. Local women-owned businesses contributed to the raffle. Friends reunited. New connections were made.
There was an underlying sense that everyone in the room was part of something bigger than themselves.
And maybe that’s the real power of events like this. They remind us that beauty isn’t about perfection. Empowerment isn’t about having it all together. And confidence isn’t something you wait to earn.
Sometimes, it’s something you decide to claim—exactly as you are, in this moment.
Ten years from now, the version of you today might be the one you wish you had celebrated more.
Maybe the real takeaway from the evening wasn’t just about boudoir photography. Maybe it was this simple idea:
Don’t wait for perfect. Show up now.
For more information about Ashley’s art, or to reach out directly, you can find her website here: https://www.bodyartboudoir.com/
To support PAAR, you can make a donation here: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/TtzMKjA2D6okT-uNr92M6g
