Artist of the Month: Ashley Goldberg

Ashley Goldberg is a surface designer based in Portland, Oregon and the latest artist we worked with for our ongoing series of Artist Collaborations.

Ashley is a long-time collaborator of current Tie Bar President Michelle Kohanzo, who worked with Ashley at previous companies designing kids products like bedding and dolls.

Our Ashley Goldberg x The Tie Bar collection features vibrant colors and unique color combinations that are the perfect accent piece to any ensemble.

ARTIST COLLABORATIONS

The Tie Bar: Would you mind introducing yourself, who you are, what you do, and what you make?

Ashley Goldberg: My name is Ashley Poirier. It’s a little confusing, because I’ve always been known as Ashley G. in the professional world — just my maiden name. I’ve been a working artist and then mostly turned surface designer slash product designer for the last almost 20 years now.

TTB: How would you describe your art?

AG: I think it definitely depends on the project. The art that I most enjoy making tends to be surface design and I think that tends to be, for a lack of a better word, from the heart. It tends to be more emotionally inspired, abstract, about movement, about color stories.

When people think of my surface design work, I think that was definitely what was most popular. What I gravitate to personally is a little more minimal, but I always feel like the artwork that I create tends to be a little more colorful and bold, because I think it just comes from a more intuitive place.

TTB: What exactly is surface design?

AG: Surface design has always existed, but I don’t think it was really a route for a lot of artists until, I feel like, 20 or 15 years ago, and then it became really popular.

It’s really just making the patterns and the designs and motifs that are gonna be applied to different products, whether it’s a tie or planner covers or bedding, or whatever the client may need.

TTB: What are some of your favorite products your designs have been featured on?

AG: Michelle reached out to me, and Michelle and I have worked together — I mean, she kind of found me very, very early in my career.

She reached out to me for things from bedding to Christmas ornaments to kids teepees — it was a host of kid’s products — and I still feel really proud about that. I love kids products, I love a lot of categories.

I think I’ve done a lot. I love paper and stationery, so I always love when I get to do things on planners. It’s a variety! I think I get excited about whatever the project is, but I really do love a lot of the homewares.

TTB: You also said your design sort of depends on the project. When you’re approaching something like this with ties and pocket squares, what are you bringing to the team here?

AG: I think this one was a little unique because Michelle and I have had such a long relationship and when she moved to The Tie Bar, she reached out to me and she was like, “Hey, here are some designs we’re interested — do you wanna grab a few more if you feel like there’s any that are resonating with you?”

And not necessarily with everyone, but certainly with Michelle I have a ton of faith that it tends to be that what she touches turns to gold, so if she says, “Hey, this pattern is resonating with me for this project I’m working on,” I’m like, “Go for it. I totally trust you.”

I think Michelle is really, really good at knowing maybe how far to take a customer, where if I was just designing a tie, maybe I’d be like — I don’t know should I just do polka dots, should I just do animal print? And I think she knows — “Let’s try this blue leopard,” which is one she requested.

I think if I had to pick one favorite thing about patterns, I do always like an unexpected color combination that feels hopefully unique but not totally out of someone’s comfort zone.

TTB: The colors in all the designs are super unique but also, I feel, very attainable! Where does the inspiration for the colors come from?

AG: Generally whatever I’m feeling, but a lot of times for me, if I’m working on a project where, let’s say a lot of times it’s two years out — I know a lot of people turn color guides or trend forecasting, but I generally don’t look at that stuff. If we’re having to work really far ahead, I think I just pay attention to the colors I’m gravitating to at the moment, so the colors I always like.

TTB: Have you had your designs on clothing or accessories before this?

AG: There’s been a lot of like kind of quirky, not mainstream brands that I had clothes on, and then for a while, it did a couple for Phillip Lim when he was pretty popular, so it’s been on clothing, but I don’t think I’ve ever had it on men’s clothing, so this is kind of exciting. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything — definitely not anything with ties before.

TTB: How does it feel, especially when you see people wearing your designs?

AG: For me, I think — if I’m being honest — I just always feel excited, but nervous because I think, in my daily life, I’m such a plain person. I don’t really wear a lot of patterns, I don’t do this, so I just love to see how people bring themselves to it and their own interpretation that I’m always just like, “I hope you like it, I hope you like it for a long time.”

But it’s always exciting because I think everyone definitely brings their own unique twist to something, so it’s fun to see their interpretation. and I just feel like I got to be a little part of it and that’s fun.

SHOP ASHLEY GOLDBERG X THE TIE BAR