Meet Ashley May Heitzman | Metalsmith & Building Manager

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley May Heitzman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley May, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
After graduating art school with a degree in metals/ jewelry design I proceeded to work for a couple of small jewelry businesses based in Philaldephia. Both of these buisnesses focused on producing handmade jewelry for wholesale accounts primarily. I worked directly with the owners and a small team of jewelry makers. I enjoyed the relationships and steadily honed my production skills. Making jewelry for a particular price point was a lot different then making jewelry for art school critiques. I honed my production skills and gained a sense of of what it took to run a small business. Working for such small businesses fit my personality but I was quick to realize that there is a salary cap when the business is this small. There is simply only so far you can go! So as I worked I saved with the intent to go off on my own when the time felt right. I knew that making a decent living was only possible if I went out on my own and attempted to sell my own jewelry.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I make artistic jewelry from a mix of metals. I love working with silver, brass and 14k gold. I incorporate a lot of texture into my designs and add focus to each piece with precious details such as pearls or small gemstones. There is often a bit of asymmetry to my work and an overall subtleness to my designs that results in jewelry that feels understated and elegant. In addition to being a metalsmith, I also run a building in which we rent studio space to artists. This side business as I often call it, has provided me not only good working space, but it’s also given me a sense of purpose that feels more useful than being an artist. Creating affordable space for others to practice their art fills me with a deep sense of accomplishment. It’s also a big management task with 30 plus tenants at any given time to oversee. There have been challenges along the way and just when you think you’ve seen it all, something else seems to come along but you just push on, learning along the way. I’ve learned to not be afraid to ask dumb questions and to ask for help when I feel overwhelmed. Sounds simple enough but herder to do than you think.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I always start with feeding people our NW special upon arriving, Salmon, house made Ceaser salad and NW Pinot wine. After traveling all day, its nice to unwind with a home cooked meal. But after that I’d take em to stretch their legs in some of my favorite parks in the city : Mt. Tabor is top of my list and Penninsula Park is another great one with its own mini rose garden.
Lunching at Sweedeedee in North Portland is a favorite – beautiful pastries and treats and a small, intentional menu that boasts a lot of beautiful vegetable on it – a rare thing for restaurants!
We are big fans of donuts and there are a lot of good places here in Portland – you could do a donut tour.
Top pick are Helen Bernard Bakery for some old school classics at a classic Bakery , Delicious Donuts : for new school favorites and Pip’s Donuts for a more unique pit stop that serves smaller made to order donuts and house chai tea.
Then it’s time for a day trip or two, one to the coast and one to the mountains, both are about an hour and half in either direction.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are some organizations that really helped steer me in the right direction early on when I first moved to Portland. I met so many great jewelers and metalsmith when I was introduced to the Creative Metal Arts Guild. Through that community I have been fortunate to make friends, trusted colleagues and have a place to to turn whenever a question presents itself that is is jewelry related. Another organization, RACC (Regional Arts and Culture Council) has been critical in helping spread the work about Civilian Studios, the art studio building I founded, So many resources can be found through that organization and it helped us reach the right people early on as we were trying to get the building set up.
My husband, Austin Heitzman, has always been my biggest supporter and I probably would not have moved to Portland if it wasn’t for him.

Website: www.ashleymayjewelry.com

Instagram: https://www.ashleymayjewelry.com