We recently connected with Ashlie Tammaro and have shared our conversation below.

Ashlie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

For my high school final project I chose the topic I was most passionate about which was art. I had my first solo art gallery with 20 different paintings and my Astronomy teacher bought a painting of a girl floating in space for 25$ I remember thinking to myself wow, i can really do this. It was really cool to have someone support my dreams like that in a world that told me to be realistic.

Ashlie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I got into art at a young age, for me creating is like breathing, in order to be a complete being I needed to exercise my god given right to create. I’ve got a good pair of hands and they hold a lot of power. To wield that with love and grace is my goal.
My first loves were drawing and painting, and as I got older it shifted to many different things. I love writing, felting, making jewelry, working with crystals, and over all trying new things. I love working with mixed media in general. Collaging is a recent passion of mine. Taking things I find and combining them together—being a bridge if you will.
I sell my jewelry more than most things, but I’ve sold my paintings as well as sun catchers, stickers.
My goal is to make beautiful things. I’m a libra and the phrase “life imitates art” has always rang true for me, so if I am to create, I want to create things that are beautiful so that the future is beautiful.
I think what sets me apart from others is that I don’t have a particular niche. I will literally try anything that fascinates me, turns out I’m not the best at making candles, but at least now I know!
I love when people try on a piece of jewelry and are like “yeah thats the one” and informing them what crystals they’re working with. The fact that crystals have healing properties is a bonus. I love working with the earth and earth elements.
To me nature is the ultimate manifestation of creation and perfection, even in all its wonky branches or “mutations’”. Nature to me is the ultimate inspiration and crystals, flowers, trees, rivers, all of those elements and the reconnection to those elements are what keeps me motivated to creative. Reconnecting people to that in beautiful ways fills my soul with purpose.

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

Support artists by buying their art. It starts with people you know, instead of buying from fast fashion or big celebrities (who don’t know you exist) support the people closest to you. It will mean the world to them and motivate them to keep going. Liking, sharing, shouting them out when you see their work means the world to a small artist. Mentioning their name in rooms they’re not it for opportunities. Commission them to make things you would like, more art in public spaces, hospitals, coffee shops, on the sides of restaurants. More murals make the world a more beautiful place. People think they need to do grand things to help the world, but really it starts small. You may pay more, but think of how much more personal it will be when you know the person making it.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The fact that art is a form of radical self acceptance. Emotional and self acceptance is a rearward in itself. When we create anything, we put motion into feeling and transmute that feeling into whatever we need to, to make sense of it. Sometimes we don’t have words to describe what we feel and it can only be conveyed through pattern and colors, shapes or images. It is its own personal reward.
When someone lights up and connects with something you made, it feels really special. Like a part of your soul has connected with that person.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @ashleisoddites

Image Credits

Ashlei Tammaro
Photos by artist

I have rights and permission to all photos