Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashley Bergeron. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ashley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Earning a living from my creative work was never in my radar. I just didn’t think it was fully possible. I grew up in a very low socioeconomic status which meant that I knew the risks and everything I was doing was to get myself into a stable income, to rewrite my trajectory. It wasn’t until the pandemic that everything I thought I knew came crumbling down. My stable career was no longer stable. I’m the kind of person that sees a problem coming and I’m going to face it down. I was not going to let the state of the world control my life. So, with very little experience I signed up for my local Saturday market. It was an outdoor event so no matter what restrictions where in place I had a place to offer my work. I’m so thankful for how things ended up. If it hadn’t been such a massive catalyst for change I would still be working for someone else. Living someone else’s dream. Now, every morning I get to wake up, be creative and go to bed knowing that no matter what I can take charge and make any dream a reality.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I first was introduced to pottery in a community college hand building class. To this day it’s still the only formal training I’ve had. At the end of the three month course the college was hosting a student gallery. I would have considered myself a painter at that time, and certainly not a potter, but I decided to submit my pottery. Over 500 students submitted work and only 30 would be accepted to show their work. I submitted two pieces, a hand built jar that I wrapped in lavender petals. I also submitted a lamp with a planter attached and it used the light to grow the plants. I’ve since seen other variations of this but it was one of my favorite creations and probably my 4th piece of pottery I ever made. I never expected what came next. I was granted 3rd and 2nd place for my work and won 500$. That was the first time I had ever made an income from my pottery and got to have it shown in a gallery. Looking back I’d love to just smack myself for not seeing the writing on the wall. I’d continue on with life pursuing a career for several years before my true purpose would hit me. But that’s how life goes, sometimes you have to wait for things to fall into place. Sometime we have these ideas of what our lives should look like, and in reality we’re closing ourselves off to a future that’s bigger and better that we ever could have planned.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and a creative is being able to share what brings me joy, seeing how it brings others joy, and how it can connect us. Most of my business has been setting up at the Salem Saturday Market. When I started it was during the pandemic so for many, this was the only way we could see others. It was what we all looked forward to. I’ve gotten to know so many amazing local people, both vendors and shoppers quite personally. We would chat about our lives and they might even go home with a new mug or two. The next weekend we’d catch up and they’d tell me about how special their new pieces are to them and how they wake up and get so excited to use their new mug. I’d get to watch and hear about other vendors and their goals and watch them grow into their passion. These days we’ve lost much of that connection. We order things from big manufacturers and never learn each other’s names. The connections that I’ve made with my work help me feel like I’m home and that I’m valued in my community. Running a small business isn’t all about the profits, it’s about the connections and the impact that comes with being of service to your local community.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

There’s already so much that society is doing right in this regard, but there is certainly a challenging aspect. It all comes down to what we value. If you value a deal, you’re going to purchase from a big box corporation and I’m sorry to say it, but you’re going to get what you pay for. It’s probably going to break and in reality you’re going to spend more money purchasing the same item over and over again. And obviously sometimes, that’s all you can afford. It’s a vicious cycle. It’s also going to be worse for the environment and worse for all people involved. If something is a “good deal” there’s always someone else paying the price. What we can do, is start to lift the veil of a “good deal” and see the value that small businesses are offering. We’re not cutting people down the line short, we’re not cutting corners on being sustainable, we’re not cutting corners on craftsmanship. It means that we have fewer items but they’re of higher value. Our money and our purchases control the world. We often feel helpless to all of the troubles going on, but that’s one aspect that we can make meaningful impact. Where we choose to invest, can either grow a culture that supports our community, or we can continue to feed the wealthiest 1%.

Contact Info:

• Website: ashleybartisticworks.com
• Instagram: ashleyb.artisticworks