Creator

I am, Ashley, the human behind Burnt Ash Design. My studio and I are currently in Whitefish, Montana.

I began my metalsmithing journey in 2011 as a curious college student trying to get some sort of art credit and got hooked. Growing up, I always enjoyed making things with my hands. The transformation of ideas into something tangible is one of the most fulfilling experiences, in my opinion. To me, it is an essence of being a human. Reality manifesting imagination.

Over the years I have slowly grew from a dabbler to an artisan. I started turning the idea of my art toward business when living in Breckenridge, CO for a stint. I had a dream to turn art into a job so that I could work for myself and have all the free time I could to play in the mountains. Thanks to the help of various mentors, I got the push and nurturement I needed to believe that was possible.

In 2016, I picked up and moved north to Montana. A place that has offered boundless inspiration and tranquil solitude for me to be able to dig into my art and push the limits of my abilities. It has been a wild ride in Montana. I have moved my studio 5 times in the last 6 years. From cold spider infested garages to sad storage units, to more garages, and now landing safely in my home. I feel lucky, not every jeweler has a kitchen in the next room, and a couch in the other to take 5 when the going gets rough. Which it can often.

Handmade

My most valuable tool: my hands.

Every piece I create is its own little experiment. An experiment with my capabilities, and the materials and tools I have at my disposal. I am mostly self-taught, which really means that each piece I create teaches me something.

I try to use only the finest grade metals and stones I can find. I look for natural and unique stones and buy metal from trusted distributors in order to provide the best quality. Each stone is hand-picked from artists as close to the source as I can find and some from the regions I visit. The designs reflect characteristics of the people and nature surrounding. Because each rock deserves to tell its story.

My hands bare testament to the brutality of creating with them. The gouges, scabs, scars; they'll each attest to the hours of work my hands have sacrificed in doing this art of love. Each detail and design is fabricated piece by piece with care, and stubborn perfectionism. In my eyes, anything is possible.

In this part of my journey, I am fully immersed into this as a full-time jeweler. Although the dream job of a free-living artist has turned into more than a full time one, with crazy hours, endless projects, countless setbacks and lots of high highs, and low lows, I wouldn’t give it up for anything. There is nothing more satisfying than taking a vision, whether a clients’ or my own, and making it come to life. No matter what it takes.

Thank you for all the support!

-Ashley