Meet the Artist
Ashley May Heitzmann
Jewelry
Ashley May Heitzman designs and creates one-of-a-kind and limited production jewelry in her Portland, Oregon studio. She realized her interest in metal-smithing while attending Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia etching copper plates in a printmaking class. She dropped printmaking and eventually went on to earn her BFA in metals and jewelry and has worked in various aspects of the jewelry industry since.
Ashley was awarded the NICHE award in 2014, recognizing her innovative design sense and skilled craftsmanship. She draws inspiration from the textures and patterns found in nature and her urban surroundings. From ancient textiles to the modern city grid, patterns inform her sense of space, her connectedness to place and shape her designs. Working with a variety of precious metals, including silver, brass, copper and gold, color and texture are used to create her own visual patterns that reflect her place and time. She's honed the use of an electric etching process to add specific textures to copper and brass. Additionally, methods of roller printing and reticulation provide more varieties of surface embellishment. Gold, freshwater pearls, and natural gemstones are used sparingly but strategically to adorn, highlight and balance each design.