Finding sea glass with local artist Ashley Lucas

By:  | August 26, 2024 |  Features |  Atlantic Highlands

By LiliAnn Paras

People of all ages enjoy a good treasure hunt. How lucky we are to live in Monmouth County where our proximity to the ocean makes hunting for the perfect pieces of sea glass so joyful. Sea glass hunting is a timeless activity; even Roman mythology mentions sea glass, describing it as “mermaid’s tears” that washed ashore. The tale holds that Neptune banished a lovelorn mermaid to the ocean depths as punishment for calming the seas and wind to save the life of a sailor she loved. This romanticization of sea glass was likely inspired by the wonderment beachcombers have experienced throughout the ages in finding these gems and imagining their origins.

Sea glass starts humbly as broken fragments, but over time, the sharp, jagged edges are smoothed and ultimately transformed by the ocean into nature’s art.

Beachcombing is one of life’s simple pleasures- many will remember their childhood exhilaration at finding that brilliant piece of blue sea glass from an old Noxzema jar or the utter disappointment when ordered to toss back the sharp shard of a recently discarded beer bottle. For local Monmouth County artist Ashley Lucas, the more recent discovery of this pastime proved to be a powerful inspiration and took her artwork in new directions.

Lucas’s involvement in art began early. Both of her parents are artists and she enjoyed a very creative childhood. At 7 years old, she made dollhouse miniatures and polymer clay beads. She still recalls the thrill of strangers thinking her creations were good enough to purchase. She attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and graduated from its Film & Television program. Her more recent focus on sea glass art began as a fun diversion for her and her young son, Leon. It evolved into a passion and, a small business endeavor.

Community Magazine: How did you come to live by the sea in Monmouth County? 

Ashley Lucas: My husband David and I met in NYC and lived in Jersey City for many years. David is from Austria. We lived abroad in Salzburg for two years after we married until settling back in the states again. We thought we would always be city people until the pandemic struck. We had a baby at the time, and I scrambled to find us a place to live to escape the craziness of city life. We landed in Belmar for about four years, and recently moved to Atlantic Highlands this summer. We really love it! Our son Leon is 5, and his middle name is Bay because we wanted his name to represent our love of water in some way. Little did we know we'd be living so close to the water on the Jersey Shore. 

CM: What sparked your interest in sea glass?

Ashley: Prior to the pandemic, my bread and butter as an artist was teaching private art lessons to children. Aside from that, I created art prints and decor for children's rooms, and illustrated children's books. When we moved to Belmar, we got very close with a few neighbors who shared with me their love of sea glass collecting. It was under their kind and patient direction that I started looking for glass. Finding it wasn't immediate for me. It's kind of like a skill that you hone over time. I created one or two pieces of sea glass art in my signature whimsical style, and sold them pretty quickly. Then I had requests for more pieces and it started to snowball from there. I started my brand, Sook & Hook in January 2022. I joined the platform Faire as a wholesaler, and have a variety of other storefronts online. My sea glass pieces are now available in over 22 shops nationwide.

CM: You say the ocean is your partner. Can you explain what the ocean means to you? 

Ashley: It's almost like the ocean is guiding me and helping me to find the perfect pieces of sea glass to use in my artwork. Sook and Hook is the greatest success I've had as an artist, because it's not just about 'me'. It's about spending quality time in nature on the beach.

CM: What is your state of mind during the search for the glass? 

Ashley: When I started my business, our son was not in school yet, and he was with me 24/7. He joined me in the beginning and our walks were mostly about having fun and trying to keep him entertained. When he started PreK it was completely different because I almost went into a meditative state when strolling the beach. Even with orders to fill and freelance art assignments to complete daily, during the school year I walk the beach every single day. It keeps me balanced and offers me inspiration beyond my wildest dreams! 

CM: What is your process for gathering the glass and shells?

Ashley: I try to hit the beach during low tide, but of course it's impossible to always be able to time it right. I am always on the lookout for sea glass, and pick up almost every piece I find. I also look for pieces of wampum, sea pottery, angel wing shells, Atlantic clam shells and oyster shells. I can do something creative with almost any of those finds. After bringing my treasures home, I wash them in hot water and dish liquid and let them dry on a rack or clean dish towel. Then I sort them by shape, color and size.

CM: What can you tell us about glass colors?

Ashley: The rarity of sea glass colors changes depending on what part of the world you are visiting and the history of the glass used there, etc. The three most common colors of sea glass on the Jersey Shore are: green, brown and white or clear because most beverage bottles are one of these colors. Think beer and soda! A little rarer would be seafoam green (usually from old                       Coca-Cola bottles), yellow green or 'citron', and blue. Thick, frosted cobalt blue is a real prize to find as it's usually from an old Vicks bottle or even an inkwell. If the piece you find is thinner and not as frosted, it is probably from a more recent water bottle. Lavender glass is usually old clear glass that has changed color due to sunlight over decades of time. Some of the rarest colors to find are red, orange and yellow.

CM: Have you discovered any especially wonderful pieces?

Ashley: So many! I could never list them all. I found a deep red piece of sea glass on my birthday a few years ago on the beach in Avon-by-the-Sea. It was perfectly frosted and just wonderful. I will never forget it or that day. I also have found a few pieces of 'pirate glass' - meaning the glass looks completely black laying on the sand - and changes color when held to the sun. 'Pirate glass' is usually quite old. I found one piece of yellow and was quite thrilled, and also one piece of pink, which I believe was from an old candy dish.

CM: Any not-so-wonderful finds?

Ashley: I collect plastic waste on every single excursion. Unfortunately, there are also plastic caps, straws and balloons present on every beach I comb. Most people make the excuse that they don't want to touch trash - but I feel a true responsibility to clean the place that offers so much beauty to all of us.

CM: Any tips for our readers who want to hunt for glass?

Ashley: Low tide! You'll always have more success finding treasures when the tide is low. Our neighbor Arlene gave me the tip of using an app, 'Tides Near Me'. It has been invaluable. Also, I tend to find more glass when the sea is calm with minimal waves. Off season is a wonderful time to hunt since you have much less competition. In Belmar I was the crazy person in a parka looking for sea glass during 25-degree weather! 

CM: Is there a new project you would like to undertake?

Ashley: I would love to do a large-scale fine arts project involving plastic waste and sea glass that exposes the public to the reality of all the waste on our beaches. If there's anyone out there that would like to collaborate on something like this - please let me know! 

CM: Favorite quote or philosophy?

Ashley: I used to hear Wendy Williams saying, ‘Go hard, or go home!’ on the radio during one of my desk jobs years ago, and it really stuck with me! I truly believe we have one life and we have one chance to work towards the change we want to see in this world. Moving out of the city made this so clear to me when I wasn't distracted by constant people, noise and keeping up with what everyone else was doing. Nature – more specifically the ocean – has truly given me a gift I'll never be able to repay.