First Friday - Ashley Martin, Woody Martin, Michael Willard "Beneath the Surface"

About this event

Woody Martin is a Colorado artist, illustrator, animator, author, and musician whose work explores the connection between creativity, nature, and the human experience. After graduating from Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design in 2003, Woody spent four years in Brooklyn, New York, creating and exhibiting art before returning to Colorado.

Through whimsical illustration, animation, woodcarving, books, and music, Woody uses storytelling to explore ideas about freedom, natural law, and our relationship with the world around us. His work reflects a lifelong curiosity and a desire to inspire others to think differently, question what they’ve been taught, and discover the light path.

Michael Willard is a Colorado-based ceramic artist whose work explores character, emotion, and

storytelling through sculptural clay. Drawn to pieces that feel slightly dark, weathered, and

mysterious, he creates work that suggests a history beyond what is immediately visible.

Much of Michael’s inspiration comes from tribal art and symbolism, along with the monumental

forms and visual presence of the moai of Rapa Nui. He draws from their strong silhouettes,

patterns, symbolic qualities, and sense of mystery, blending these influences with mythology,

fantasy, nature, and his own imagination.

Michael’s favorite ceramic process is Raku firing because of its predictable unpredictability.

Although the artist can guide the process, fire ultimately leaves its own mark through crackling,

metallic surfaces, flashes of color, and unexpected variations.

For Michael, each mask becomes its own character—carrying traces of identity, survival, and

mystery while leaving enough of its story untold for the viewer to imagine the rest.

Ashley Martin is an educator, illustrator, and painter whose art is deeply rooted in her love for animals and nature. By blending storytelling with environmental activism, her work raises vital awareness about ecological issues. She frequently features rats in her pieces, celebrating these misunderstood geniuses for their critical roles in global ecosystems and their contributions to human medicine, science, and technology.