Q: What does Jacques Cousteau and Ashley Morgan have in common?
A: They both love the sea AND Ashley Morgan created a mug in honor of Jacques called Jacques Tu’Slo which is a skull! Ashley’s style blends pirate, the sea, tiki and a little bit of creepy for good measure! Sleepy Siren Treasure Co. is located up here in the Pacific Northwest in Tacoma and I’m excited to see what she comes up with next! Here is Ashley’s story…
What is the tiki scene like where you live?
Ashley- I think there is some room for growth here in Tacoma – particularly in the growing central and north districts. I love that we have The Old Hangout at McMenamins and Devil’s Reef, but I’d definitely like to see more. It would be great to have a big annual tiki event in Washington. For now, I think Devil’s Reef is really carrying the torch.
What brought you into the ‘Tiki Lifestyle” and how long has it been part of your life?
Ashley- I feel like it has been slowly creeping in for a long time now in different ways. My first *legal* drink was in Trader Sam’s. It was my 21st birthday, and my experiences drinking prior had amounted to whatever alcohol and mixer me or my friends had gotten ahold of as teens. Up until then, I’d never known that a cocktail could actually taste good! In college, my husband and I took advantage of the annual passes, making frequent trips to Disneyland; I’d have to say that’s where it started, officially at least – Trader Sam’s, The Enchanted Tiki Room, and the whole Adventureland vibe.
I’d also done some pin-up modeling for car shows in Del Mar where I’d met a lot of Rockabilly types and mid-century buffs, but hadn’t realized at the time just how much crossover there was in the different subcultures – tiki included. From dreaming of bygone eras, to sipping a Mai Tai on the beach, or fangirling over classic horror; it’s all one form of escapism or another.
It wasn’t until my husband and I got our house up here in 2017 though, that we were really able to get into decorating, collecting mugs, and getting out more to tiki bars since we weren’t just a couple of broke college kids anymore. In December 2019, right before Covid hit, our basement flooded for the second time. Because of the extensive water damage, we had to rip out pretty much everything, so my husband decided he’d start on turning part of that space into our home tiki bar, where we now share our love of tiki with friends, and enjoy many holiday and murder mystery parties.
Can you give a little history of how you became a tiki mug artist?
Ashley- I’ve worked as an acrylic painter for several years, but about 3 years ago I started playing with the idea of sculpting and making mugs. I knew the basics of ceramics, but didn’t have any idea how to expand that into full scale production, and I found the mold making process to be really intimidating! But I started reading up on how it was done – big nod to Vantiki’s technical Tuesday videos as well – and eventually I felt comfortable enough to make a real go at it. But, I still didn’t really have a style in mind yet, or at least one I felt I could call my own. So, I decided I’d let my paintings and the aesthetic of our home bar inspire my first sculpture. I haven’t revealed that one yet, though! Jacques Tu’Slo— my second sculpture and first *tiki* mug happened while I was working on a panting and had a documentary about Jacques Cousteau on in the background and it hit me, that out of my love for the ocean and the influence he had on marine ecology and conservation, he had to be the influence for the first mug I put out.
How would you describe your style?
Ashley- I’m definitely leaning into the creepytiki subgenre, as well as I’d guess you could say nautical/pirate core. My husband has been pirating at various events for years, and I’ve always had a love for the darker aesthetics and mythical deep-sea creatures.
Who or what would be some of your influences?
Ashley- I’d say I’m heavily influenced by my time spent out swimming and exploring the sea, my time spent as a mermaid and a pirate, and by my love for everything spooky. VanTiki has been a huge influence on me, as I have been an avid watcher of his technical Tuesday videos. Riki Tat Tiki was also a big influence, because of her drive to just learn as much as fast as she could to become a mug artist. I love watching people get inspired to do something they love, and it always pushes me to do the same, and watching her gave me that final nudge.
What is your favorite Tike drink?
Ashley- Dark and Stormy. I love me a good mai tai, but I am definitely more of a dry/tarte/sour kind of gal than a sweet/fruity one.
What does the future hold for you and your tiki mugs?
Ashley- Thanks to my family and my Kickstarter Jacques Tu’Slo backers, we are starting renovations to convert our garage into a full studio so that I can make mugs full time. I am currently working on plans to start the mold process for my second mug, which will be made from my first monster clay sculpture I mentioned before. And hopefully, I’ll get to go back home to San Diego and take part in Tiki Oasis as a vendor!
Anything else you would like to add?
Ashley- Just a couple thank you’s!
Thank you for taking the time to discuss all this with me and get it out into the tiki-ether, and thank you to Jason over at Devil’s Reef for having an amazing tiki bar, and for his show of support with Jacques Tu’slo, and Jennifer English at Spun in Tacoma for helping me make my first mold..
Ashley’s style is amazing! She is definitely a unique and refreshing personality to the Tiki world.