A Conversation Forged from Ashe

by Mary D Elliott

When the Board of Directors of Cortland Arts Connect decided to add a quarterly newsletter to spotlight local artists, my thoughts flew to this month’s choice.  I have met Ashe Martin casually at various functions, but never had the chance to actually have a conversation with her.  This was my chance, and I was determined to make the most of it.

I met with Ashe in her Studio, Forged from Ashe (est 2021), located in the Cortland Corset Building, 75 E. Court Street, Cortland, NY.  She shares the building with several other Artisans, making it a very cool place to wander.  Her space does double duty.  She is also co-owner of Crown City Curiosities (est 2022).  With all that goes on in the shop and the studio, and the classes that she teaches, Ashe is very busy.  She strikes me as the kind of person who seems happiest when she’s busy.

I put on my interviewer hat.  Some of her answers surprised me, some delighted me, but they all seemed to fit the “Ashe” puzzle.

My first question was when did she know she was an “artist”?  (Her answer was very important to me, because I have come into my art fairly late in life.)  She told me that when she was really young, an elementary art teacher (Candor) took notice of her work, and realized that she could “mimic” paintings well.  She started challenging Ashe to “lift” classic paintings.  (This is actually a good way to learn composition, scale, and balance.)  Later, in her high school years, Ashe’s art teacher was also her track coach, and they had a really good relationship.  That teacher pushed Ashe, encouraging her and the other students to develop their own college-level type courses.  For a high school student, this was pretty major.  Then she found her interests leaned more towards caricature style work – comics, cartoons and doodles.  So to answer that first question?  Pretty much her whole life.

Ashe lived in the Binghamton area for a long time. She was the primary caregiver for a special needs family member.  And she participated in a modern-day apprenticeship in mosaics.  Through no fault of Ashe’s, the relationship with that mentor turned toxic, which led to a decade long beak from mosaics for her.

But those years taught her valuable lessons.  Patience.  Empathy.  And a lifelong affinity for the art of mosaics.  When asked about her favorite type of art and medium, she said “Mosaics flow out of me.”  She also told me that she learned the following, which she tries to share in all of her teaching:  

> It’s okay to take a break, but don’t give up.

> Find your village – let your community know you need help – people will show up.

> If you lose your spark from something – try something similar – or something else – and don’t stop til you bring it back. 

To get a fresh start from the issues in Binghamton, Ashe moved to Cortland County.  She loves it here, and is clearly thriving.  She says nobody here questions.  That the people she’s met here “fill her cup”.  The phrase “found a village” is often overused, but here it works perfectly.  Ashe has become an integral part of the Cortland Art Scene.  She told me the community people have shown up for her over and over, and then she did a show and share.  A box of random porcelain pieces that came from drop-offs like she often finds outside her studio door.  She can use these in her mosaics.

Her success has been hard fought, and found through determination, and the wisdom of a 10-year-old.  Although she had the knowledge and success in mosaics, she felt stuck in the “Fine Art Holdover Mold” for years.  Constantly trying to paint fine Art, when her heart was yearning to make mixed media, and something less formal, less conservative.  It wasn’t until she was fighting with a piece for a Community Art Show at Cortland Repertory Theater, a traditional painting featuring the Virgin Mary, that she had her “lightbulb” moment.  She was relying on all of her training to create an entry for the show, which would be her first here in Cortland County.  It was to be a traditional painting, like she’d done countless times.  And it just wasn’t coming together.  And then her daughter asked her a question that started a momentous conversation and shift in her design, art, and career.

“Why?”  

Why was she trying to make art she didn’t love?  That didn’t make her happy?  Didn’t feed her soul?

She took a chance, added some mixed media elements to that oh-so-traditional Virgin Mary portrait, and created something that the committee thought was so impressive they showcased it – front and center – at the show.

Ashe was very encouraged by this, and hasn’t looked back.  When asked about her favorite medium, she listed several - Venetian glass, tiles, ceramic fairies, break days, mixed media, and of course, mosaics.

Like a lot of artists, in addition to her creating, Ashe teaches.  She teaches in her studio.  And she travels.  She has done classes at local community centers, libraries, and retail locations, and team building exercises for company gatherings.  This summer, she traveled to Norwich to help run a summer program for Chenango Arts Council.  She’s also taught as far away as Horseheads, Canastota and Syracuse.  

When asked about her teaching statement, she answered in a way that reflects her very core.  “It’s my goal to provide a place where everyone can learn.  No matter their age, color, ability.  I want them to be able to learn and be creative in a safe space.  I want each one of my students to feel accomplished, included and seen.”

Because she is so busy, I asked Ashe how she prioritizes and manages multiple projects.  She says she is able to work on several pieces at once.  She often has big custom orders, and she will work on them to make deadline, but often feels she does better work if she’s working under pressure.  Something “amazing” happens.  When I asked her how she measures the success of her designs, she replied modestly “If I look at it, and I feel fulfilled, it’s good.  If others like it, it’s a bonus.”  When she was younger, she relied on the opinions of others, but has found the courage to let that go.  Also at the Corset Building, she has the surrounding artisans to help if a second, third, or more opinion(s) is needed.

Often artists have favorite charities they work with, or places they donate time and materials to.  (I personally am a sucker for libraries and any group that teaches children.)  Ashe works with “Deck the Halls” out of Syracuse.  It is a contest that asks artists to design skateboard decks.  Proceeds go to Peaceful Schools Community Schools, an organization that supports youth in need in and around Syracuse (helping to fill food pantries and clothes closets).  Her first year, Ashe designed a deck with a skeleton sporting a coffee cup and hat.  Year 2 was the Lady Venus.  I find it cool that her third-year entry will be a deck with a sword like in her logo.

All of Ashe’s work is fascinating to me.  She told me she would classify most of it as eclectic.  She loves to work with lots of mixed materials, especially found materials.  When working with graphic arts, she will work to fit text in the white space.  A lot of her work choices depend on her mood.  Which I find to be true of most artists.

When I asked her “What’s your favorite piece you’ve ever done?”, she said she hasn’t actually created it yet.  Ashe was one of three artists selected for the Cortland Main Street Public Art Initiative.  From the website: “The name of her piece is “Cortland Through Time”.  Her Submitted Concept: The work is designed to be a landmark that celebrates and preserves Cortland’s rich heritage. Through detailed mosaic panels, this four-sided obelisk will honor the city’s past, reflect its present, and inspire its future.”  She is honored and excited to have been chosen.  “Everything in my heart went into this.”  These projects are due to be installed by the end of the year.  Details for this can be found here.

I would like to thank Ashe for her time and willingness to speak with me so candidly about her art and her life.  I thoroughly enjoyed our time together.

To close this article, I would like to tell you a story.  Every artist has a favorite tool.  I think especially mixed media artists.  We use so many, it only makes sense that we would favor one.  Mine is known around my house as the “Pokey Tool”.  We find ourselves using it for more and more.  And laughing every time we pull it out.   When asked about her favorite tool, Ashe gave me a similar laugh, and shared that she once found a tiny little flathead screwdriver (like for eyeglasses) in a junk drawer.  Now she uses it all the time – to open raw material jars, cans and bottles – to scrape mosaic – to clean tiles - whatever needs to be done.  Perfect.

Mary D Elliott

Eltimar Design

Cortland Arts Connect Board Member