Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Stovall and Stephanie Duncan.
Ashley and Stephanie, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Ashley and I connected through a mutual friend during a difficult time in both of our lives. I had lost my husband to Cancer, and Ashley had lost her mother to it as well. We were both creatives that were, at the time, not creating. Her New Tribe began as an inspired idea over lunch at the end of 2017. A few months later, we had a full Collection of bold, statement-making ceramic earrings! It was a total passion project, fueled by a want and need to recover from tragedy by making something truly joyful. The creative process was therapeutic for us and necessary, and the heart that we put into each piece seemed noticeable. We were thrilled.
Ashley’s background is in Art and Ceramics, mine is in fashion and social media – so we had most of our bases covered. In a way, we were building the plane while it was taking off, but it was the best kind of chaos. We were thrilled with the way the earrings were coming out of the kiln . . . They felt special and different. In February 2018 we shared it all for the first time with a group here in Austin, and we were BLOWN AWAY by the response! That summer we worked hard on branding, packaging, and production, and officially launched Her New Tribe in late August.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Her New Tribe is a collection of statement-making color-focused ceramic jewelry. Stacked shapes, tiered totems, and small sculptures are hand-formed and fired in peaceful protest against the mass-produced and machine made. Each series is a curated selection of themed silhouettes in a dedicated and ever-changing palette. Her New Tribe is founded on a belief in embracing imperfections, celebrating flaws, and sharing happy accidents. The result is meaningfully special and sincerely one-of-a-kind jewelry.
Her New Tribe is the collective effort of two- Ashley Stovall and Stephanie Duncan, who set out to examine the creative process together and discover the magic in true collaboration. With backgrounds in art and fashion and a concentration on unapologetic style, the brand was born of conversation around bold color, quiet strength, and endless optimism. Their process serves as a demonstration of what’s possible when we each love, respect, and encourage other’s talents.
What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
We feel lucky to make and create in such an incredible city that truly supports art. Austin is a town that inspires and encourages us constantly, even as it grows and changes. The big world certainly feels a bit smaller with the shift to e-commerce and selling through social media. We work hard to connect with our customers and foster meaningful relationships with them and other creatives as well. That simply was not possible in the same way five or ten years ago. We try to embrace the opportunity to share and connect, without being influenced by the pressure to measure up to others. It is a delicate dance . . . But we founded the brand on a mission to embrace imperfection in our products, in ourselves, and in others.
Contact Info:
- Website: hernewtribe.com
- Email: shop@hernewtribe.com
- Instagram: @hernewtribe
Image Credit:
Amanda Elmore (for flat lays and painted collages)
Christina Emilie (for on model images)
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