We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Parrish Otteman recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ashley, thanks for joining us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?
Art and creativity were heavily encouraged in my home growing up. Having a famous artist, Maxfield Parrish, as my great-grandfather meant that artistic ability was heavily valued in my family. My parents always encouraged my brothers and me in all areas of creativity, whether it be drawing, writing, music, or making robots out of cereal boxes. Many of my childhood memories are of my brother Jesse and me sitting at the kitchen table with a tub of colored pencils dumped out and piles of blank paper scattered all around us. Because of this, I cannot recall a time in my life when I saw myself as anything other than an artist; creativity has always just flowed out of me.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am an artist and writer deeply engaged in both the visual and literary arts, balancing my passion for painting with my love for music journalism.
My journey into music journalism began recently—I reached out to an old acquaintance, Amy Asche, which led to my current role as a writer for Resident Rockstar Magazine. Turns out, we’re a great team. We both got introduced to metal as kids through our older brothers and grew up going to shows and hanging out with the same people. A year ago, I decided to walk away from alcohol, which transformed how I experienced and engaged with the music scene. So began to write about it.
As an artist, I primarily work with watercolors, oils, colored pencils, and gold leaf, exploring various techniques intuitively. I have always painted or drawn portraits, almost compulsively. I am not sure where it comes from or why, if it’s some lost and lonely place within me that is just trying to escape. But whatever the reason, I love it and can’t put the brush down until I capture something in the eyes—like a soul reflected back at me.
In my writing, I focus on album and concert reviews, and I am looking forward to expanding into interviews and feature writing. There is an old saying, ‘how you do one thing is how you do everything,’ and I am here to call bullsh*!. My painting style is loose, intuitive, and messy—lazy, even. In contrast, my writing is meticulous, methodical, and my vision is crystal clear. I will spend hours revising a sentence until it says exactly what I want, in the way I want. Writer Ashley and Painter Ashley might as well be two different people. That being said, I can’t choose just one; I have to be both.
In the realm of music journalism, particularly within the extreme metal category, I offer a distinctively positive female perspective that diverges from the often elitist and negative commentary prevalent in the genre. My reviews and writings focus on the cathartic aspects of metal music, which, despite its ostensibly negative sounding lyrics and intense soundscapes, promotes a deeply positive emotional release. I believe in highlighting the creativity and effort behind each piece of music. Consequently, I steer clear of tearing down artists’ work. For those looking for critiques that dismantle or disparage, there are plenty of outlets that provide that—but that’s not me. I aim to create a space where metal is appreciated for its artistic value and emotional depth.
I see myself as an artist who must create to understand myself, even though I haven’t had much luck with that yet. I aim to pursue both disciplines professionally as they fulfill different but equally vital needs within me. However, currently, my writing has required most of my focus, and I have to steal away a few minutes here and there to work on any other art projects I have going on.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson I have had to unlearn was seeking approval outside myself, because I wasn’t going to get it from anyone else. I used to view others as more talented, smarter, and more capable. But really, they were just putting themselves out there—a step I hesitated to take because my sense of self was so small. And that’s the thing with creativity—it has to be authentic to you, the creator, for it to resonate with others; therefore, you have to be willing to be seen as an idiot and a fool in some people’s eyes. When you seek approval outside yourself, you can’t bear the rejection; it’s too painful. I don’t fully understand why I was like that for so long; it was probably a myriad of different traumas culminating in one fatal flaw. As life progressed and I began to shape myself into the person I wanted to be, I realized in order to get out of my own way I needed to build a relationship with myself, a concept that was entirely foreign to me. I read somewhere that self-confidence was extreme self-trust, and that resonated with me. Being aware of this has allowed me to trust my own instincts and abilities, no longer needing the approval of others.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
It’s just who I am. I can’t imagine being any other way; it’s the lens through which I see the world and helps me understand it all. I think the biggest benefit is the feeling I get after completing a project. Whether it’s writing or painting, I always feel ‘high’ right after I finish it. Of course, a few days later, I might see it and hide it in a desk drawer, wanting nothing to do with it. But that feeling right after you complete it—when you manage to convey whatever it is you’re trying to express—it’s a rush. And if you’re lucky enough to have someone else relate to it, that’s the whole point. That transference of energy and sharing of the human condition—it’s a dopamine hit for sure.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: ash._parrish
- Facebook: Ashley Parrish Otteman
