Meet Ashley Gauntt | Ceramic Artist & Technician, Painter, Educator, Consultant

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

Hi Ashley, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Making space by making adjustments and reprioritizing while going with the flow of life. Paying attention to my energy and self-talk especially during periods when other aspects of life become overwhelming or need priority of my time – learning to pace myself even if that means taking smaller steps than I’d like to in order to keep a pace going and or having boundaries with myself even if it means setting timers, reminders or creating calendars. Knowing when to pause is also key.

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.
Regardless of medium, object or concept, my work is a sacred space for me to grow through creating expressions of self. The processes and acts of creating allow me to investigate and articulate what I’m attempting to process, overcome and or incorporate into my life. Regardless of whether I’m creating for professional practice such as opportunities or pure experimentation or something for myself or a gift for another, my work is always a metaphor for where I’m at right now – practicing non-attachment while sometimes met with an incorporation of a self-induced challenged for intentional growth.

I am proud of myself for not giving up. I am excited about the new work I am producing as well as the new directions I am pursuing. I’m not yet ready to introduce those new directions to the community just yet as they are outside of the art world, however, they will be incorporated into my practice once completed and tie into the new work I’m currently producing.

I had the privilege to take art classes throughout grade school which inspired me to pursue my career thereafter. I have learned many lessons along the way. Was it easy? Hell no it wasn’t easy. If it was, I likely would not be doing it now or at least not to the extent that I do now. Like many others, I didn’t connect to each art form I attempted to learn or pursue professionally. I cannot tell how many times I’ve wanted to quit. I overcame the challenges by learning how to use fear as fuel to face them and the storm within, how and where I need to grow and making the choice to grow from it, and learning the differences between when to pause, take space and when to walk away. We are not made for everyone – not everyone is made for us. Each of us are forms of art that are always works in progress. Challenges teach us new levels of boundaries, balance, respect, confidence and integrity.

I love investigating the technical aspects of ceramics – why I work as a studio technician and have stuck with ceramics. I especially love all things kilns and the physics that is involved with ceramics. From the clay to glaze to firing; asking the whys and hows – troubleshooting “flaws,” making the repairs, trials and errors, and the ongoing testing of variables feeds the wolf in my brain that I want to feed. For me, what I do goes far beyond making work. There is always something to learn about the materials and equipment I work with as there is always an element of surprise.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hiking trips on South Mountain, Papago Park & Camelback.
Gong Meditation at Desert Breeze Yoga.
Hot Air Ballon Fly Over
Phoenix Murders and Mysteries Ghost Tour
Antelope Canyon
Desert Botanical Garden
Heard Museum
Ceramic Research Center at ASU Art Museum
Luana’s Coffee and Beer
S’edav Va’aki Museum
Japanese Friendship Garden
Mystery Castle
Las Santisima
Octane Raceway
Museum of Illusions
Butterfly Wonderland
Pho Thanh
Cherry Blossom
Thai E-San
Indian Delhi Palace
Phoenicia
Elevate Yoga & Wellness
Pip Coffee & Clay
Phoenix Vintage Market
Vintage Market Days
Practical Art
Junk in the Trunk
Vintage & Vinyl Night Market at Crescent Ballroom
Walter Where? House

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost, Mom. My family at large for always being encouraging and supportive how they can. All of my mentors including Kim Kirchman, Jonathan Barnes, Susan Beiner, Kurt Weiser, Sam Chung, Mary Lyverse, Betsy Fahlman, Peter Held, Rich Piper and Don Reitz. All of my peers who have worked alongside me – supporting each other through our development. Everyone who has given me a chance – every organization who has hired me. I’d like to give Mary Beth Buesgen of Mesa Contemporary Art Museum as well as ceramic artist and educator, Jana Evans a special Shoutout for their support, companionship, guidance and encouragement.

Books: There are others but “Soda, Clay, Fire” by Gail Nichols is hands-down one of my all-time heroes alongside others. She is one of the few I am aware of that has accomplished a PhD in Ceramics out of Australia and has thoroughly kicked the trend of soda-firing to an amazing level back in the beginning of my college career. She is what inspired me to seriously engulf myself into ceramics and specialize my studies in soda firing while finalizing my BFA in Ceramics at Arizona State University Tempe.
“Getting Your Sh*t Together: The Ultimate Business Manual for Every Practicing Artist” by Karen Atkinson & GYST-Ink, “Art, Inc.” by Lisa Congdon, and “Art & Fear Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Art-making” by David Bayles and Ted Orland have all serve me well whether it be alternate perspectives/ideas, discipline or hard truths.

Website: https://mynameismudd.weebly.com/

Instagram: @mynameismuddbyash

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-gauntt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mynameismuddbyash/

Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mynameismuddbyash/

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MyNameIsMuddbyAsh

Image Credits
Ashley Gauntt