Ashley Gattis’ work is bold, playful, and unable to be easily pigeonholed. Making art for over a decade under the 
moniker “I Want that Mountain,” Gattis’s artistic styles range from delicate paper flowers (that many a bride has held while walking down the aisle) to hand-carved block prints.
With a BFA from Georgia State University under her belt, Gattis adores supporting her fellow local artists, hand-carving and printing charming custom portraits, and her beautiful 1-year-old baby boy, Henry.
Here, the artist talks to CommonCreativATL about bespoke paper wedding bouquets, how the word “bored” doesn’t exist in her vocabulary, and how to answer the question, “What do you do?” when you’re a multidisciplinary artist.
CommonCreativATL: How did art become a part of your life?
Ashley Gattis: My love for all things artistic was running through my veins for as long as I can remember. Art was around me growing up in various mediums, and I was given the freedom to explore anything and everything that I could imagine.
My parents were artistic in all aspects, and I’ve always been very thankful for that. I think that I really took to it in elementary school. I would skip classes and lock myself in the art rooms storage closet with an easel and tempera paint and just paint my little heart out until I was discovered… and reprimanded. Art was freeing. It felt safe. Comforting.
CC: Who was your favorite artist as a child?
AG: I have been obsessed with Picasso for as long as I can remember. And I know that in the fifth grade I did a reproduction of one of Joan Miro’s paintings because I think I found her fascinating at the time.
CC: You started I Want That Mountain over 10 years ago — what have been your biggest triumphs and mistakes in that time?
AG: Whew, yes! November of 2007! I wouldn’t say I’ve made any earth-shattering mistakes, mainly just getting my math wrong. Overall it’s been a constant learning experience. Some of the most tedious and time-consuming orders or difficult clients have ended up being my favorite projects after all was said and done.
I think my biggest triumph is having the business still chugging along. It’s incredible to be loving what I’m doing after this significant amount of time and actually making a profit! Nothing beats the feeling of people wanting to commission me to create something that is bespoke to their life experience. I feel privileged to be able to make their wedding bouquet or paint a portrait of their family. Having days upon days locked in the studio filling orders and creating new things is really cool.
CC: Have your offerings changed to meet demands or interest?
AG: I Want That Mountain has shifted over the years, but not to meet anyone’s demand really. As an artist, I am habitually trying new things or finding new mediums and techniques that excite me, and when I feel like I’ve mastered them enough to put a price tag on them, I do. It’s all about me! But seriously, I’m a creative and passionate person, and if you want to collaborate on a project, then I’m happy to explore the possibility. There have only been a handful of times where I’ve had to say no to a commission.
CC: How have you kept going and creating for the last decade?
Atlanta musician Adron in front of one of Gattis’ floral backdrops
AG: I don’t give up easily, and I’m obsessed with my job. I’ve always wanted to be a successful business owner, and I haven’t met my self-appointed goals yet. Even though I’m not where I want to be yet, I hope that one day I will be! I’m always wondering, “What else can I make? How can I make this better? What does the world want?”
My business has changed a lot. In 2007 I started with some jewelry and a few little paintings. The next year I added prints and some homewares. I then nixed the jewelry to focus on greetings cards in 2011, then added custom invitations. Then I nixed homewares, brought back jewelry, and promptly changed my mind again. My business has always been in flux. These days, I Want that Mountain has a different focus, as my paper flower backdrops and bouquets have taken center stage after I DIYed my entire wedding myself and fell in love with the process. But who knows what 2019 will bring?
CC: How has being a multidisciplinary artist shaped your career?
AG: Working in so many different mediums has allowed me to find the answers to questions I hadn’t even asked yet. Everything I have made has somehow informed the next thing that I’ve made, whether it’s a pattern, color combination or composition. Being multidisciplinary has meant that I haven’t felt stagnant, or been boxed in. Why put limits on myself? I can and will be a giant mixed-up creative force. I’ll make it work. The only time it really feels difficult is when people ask you, “So what do you do?” Like they need an elevator pitch to understand me. I’m not into it — I just say “I do a lot of things.”
Artis Ashley Gattis
CC: What are some of your favorite projects that you have completed?
AG: I love seeing the photos of newlywed couples. One smiling whilst holding a bouquet I made, the other grinning with a boutonnière pinned to their lapel. And the backdrops! I love the backdrops. Especially when people pick fun color combinations. My absolute favorite project was a wedding arch that I made a couple years ago. It was an enormous amount of work, maybe 7 months of work, but it was absolutely stunning. I still look back at that arch, and I’m in awe of it.
I got to experiment with the flowers as I painted them and shaped them. I think I really upped my flower game after that point. I also love recreating people wedding bouquets for their first wedding anniversary. It’s such a romantic sentiment, and it’s always incredible challenging to get it just right.
CC: What is your biggest inspiration?
AG: I feel like this is impossible to answer. I am inspired by everything in life in some way or another. The good, the bad, magnificent and mundane are all equally as important to me. I can’t remember the last time I felt bored. I’m overstimulated continuously, forever on a quest to find the things in life that excite me. I’m a dreamer, a schemer and a creative.
CC: What do you think of the Atlanta arts scene?
AG: I feel like a lot of people will tell you that it’s a shitty place to be an artist. I think it’s pretty dang fertile and always has been. It’s just what you make of it.
CC: Who are your favorite Atlanta artists?
AG: I couldn’t possibly name them all, but if I had to give you one, then I love everything that William Downs is making.
CC: Where are your favorite places to go and see and buy art?
AG: The fancy galleries, the warehouse pop-ups, the art markets and the living rooms of collectors. I love it all.
See more of Ashley’s work on her portfolio site, Instagram, and Etsy.
