MARTELL HARDY AND JAY MILES TALK FRIENDSHIP, FUTURE GOALS, AND LIVING ON AN ISLAND
BY MARTELL HARDY
EDITED BY JAY MILES
FEBRUARY 9, 2023
A recent talk between long time best friends, Martell Hardy, a photographer and filmmaker, and Jay Miles, a model who has been breaking through with her modeling career—on the radar for many brands. Where they express their love for each other and how both came up in Pittsburgh’s art scene together.
Martell: How did we meet?
Jay: Twitter
M: O yeah…you used to talk a whole bunch of shit on there.
J: I remember our first conversation was when I tweeted “i'm good at what I do,” then you dmed me saying “what do you do” then you were like “ok.” Everything started from there.
M: I remember I think around my birthday we did a shoot.
J: Yeah it was like 2 days after your birthday.
M: Ok now I remember! You texted me and said “meet me downtown.” I met you downtown then you got in my car like you already knew me or something. That was funny.
J: You brought me a breakfast sandwich, so we basically already knew each other.
M: Yeah, I don't think that's how it works…but then we went to go shoot and while shooting you started talking about Frank Ocean. I was like “I don't really listen to him.” I remember that because I have the video of you and the face you made, it was hilarious. Then on the way back to the city you grabbed my phone and started taking selfies.
J: Wow, that was the first time we met? I was comfortable.
M: Yeah very.
J: Then we linked again because you took me to the fashion show right?
M: No, I swear there was something else before.
J: O, my birthday! I remember we went to Texas Roadhouse.
M: That's right. Then we fast forward to the fashion show. That's when I introduced you to the public. I put you on for-real. 2019, you started meeting everyone here in the art scene. Then from there we just started hanging out just cause.
J: Then we start taking trips!
M: Yeah we went to Philly then New York.
J: When did we go to Atlanta?...Wait, that was 2020.
M: It was very simple forreal on how we met. Not your usual story, but nothing complicated.
J: We had a conversation on twitter, and found out we do the same thing. Then we had a shoot, and it sparked a friendship and we started going on trips. Yeah!
M: Future plans or goals?
J: I want to move out of the city. I don't think I want to move to Atlanta anymore. I might try something smaller like Charlotte or something.
M: I was about to say that. I've been looking at Charlotte. It's pretty cool and seems chill. I feel like Atlanta is a good place to travel to.
J: Yeah it's just getting oversaturated now so living there is a lot.
J: What's your future goals?
M: Mmm…I have been crossing a lot off lately. A big goal of mine though in the next five years, I want to write a play and also compose and be creative director for a ballet. Those are two things I really want to do. I do want to move but I'm in no rush. It's either Charlotte, NY, or LA. The only reason I say LA is because of the nice lofts down there.
J: Swear, but they are so expensive.
M: If you could eat anything for the rest of your life, what would it be?
J: Steak, baked potatoes, and caesar salad.
M: Favorite tv show right now?
J: Abbott Elementary
J: What are you most proud of yourself for?
M: I would say following the path of actually becoming and artist.
J: What are you most proud of me for?
M: Becoming an adult. You moved out, got a car, and started doing everything on your own. You did that all in one year! 2022.
J: I'm most proud of myself for pretty much that. My resilience, because life threw a lot at me and…I never folded. For you, I'm most proud of the fact you didn't give up on not only yourself but us. Including the artists in the city. You had plenty of opportunities where you could have left and done other things like most people do. Instead you created something for us here. Instead of finding a seat at another table, you just made your own table!
M: Wow…I really appreciate that
M: Dream car?
J: AMG C63. Wrapped burnt orange! You know that answer.
M: Yeah I know. That was just for documented purposes.
J: In the end, where do you want to live? Like you're old and wrinkled up.
M: I want to live on an island and be a farmer. I just want a vegetable farm.
J: A garden?
M: I guess. Yeah i'll have a flip phone too and just be off the grid.
J: You're stealing my answer.
M: You want a garden?
J: Yeah! When it's all over, I want to go to the outskirts of an island and be naked eating fruit all day. Just out of touch with everything.
M: Like Tarzan?
J: Yes, just swimming in water eating fruit all day.
M: You want kids?
J: I want a son, and then a daughter like 2-3 years later.
M: Very random, but this year was the first year I sat down on twitter and really had this thought in my mind like “why don't women act anymore?” There's all these pretty women on here. You remember all the 90s movies when there were all those pretty girls? I just think more people should get into acting. There's not even any more video vixens.
J: True, but it's also because the videos aren't the same anymore. Videos don't even tell a story to even need a video vixen. Now they just get eight girls to shake their asses on a car.
M: Describe your future model career.
J: I'll probably live in a highrise city apartment. Just wake up to my natural lighting in the house. Listen to my music, burn my incints..and get ready for the day. Go do whatever shoot is on the schedule. Then come home and do personal stuff like meditating, journaling, and taking my bath. Also have my little fried chicken dog on my lap. Once I'm out of the spotlight, I want to transition into creative directing for photo and video shoots.
M: I love you.
J: I love you.