Artist Creates Functional and Beautiful Handmade Ceramics
Amy Brummond, the artist maker behind Pine Zen Pottery, makes distinctive handmade ceramics which are each purposeful and stunning. She calls herself a “middle-aged clay enthusiast,” discovering pleasure by creating artwork for the world. After being a stay-at-home mother for years and sending her youngsters off to high school, Amy realized she had the liberty to reinvent herself. While she’s nonetheless a faithful mom, she additionally found a brand new identification inside herself as an artist.
For Amy, having a midlife disaster didn’t imply going out to purchase an costly, flashy automobile or jet setting world wide. Instead of chasing after materials issues, Amy seemed inside for the solutions. Since she had a lot free time on her palms, she didn’t fairly know tips on how to spend it. After going by a non secular awakening, she out of the blue discovered herself “smack dab in the middle of the clay life.”
“About five years ago, my youngest son started kindergarten, so suddenly, I was like, “Huh, what do I really want to do?” Amy says. “So, I got a kick wheel and a kiln and set up a studio, and it’s a gorgeous space. I have no formal training in clay, and I have totally given up working on the wheel even though that’s how I started. I am a hand builder – I work with flat slabs and I turn them into vessels of all sorts.”
While she’s self-taught, she additionally discovered a terrific deal from different potters who shared their data in movies or books. She gathered as a lot data from them as she may and allowed her inventive juices to information the remainder of her journey.
Learning all of the ropes about pottery doesn’t occur in a single day; it’s an ongoing, lifelong course of. However, Amy doesn’t let that discourage her, and goes by the well-known quote attributed to Ishi (aka “the last Indian”): “always be more curious than afraid.”
Amy’s handmade ceramics serve a function in on a regular basis life
From espresso mugs to ramen bowls, Amy’s obtained all of the bases coated on the subject of pottery. She additionally creates plates, pint glasses, flower vases, and extra! The inspiration behind her work comes from the concept of “making the world a bit smaller.” In our fast-paced lives, we regularly don’t get an opportunity to decelerate and actually join with our family members. Amy hopes her items will encourage her prospects to turn out to be extra current at mealtimes or whereas sipping their morning espresso.
On her website, she says: “I want the pots I make to become integral parts of our lives—offering moments of presence and connection—over a shared meal or a cup of tea. The objects we surround ourselves with should spark joy whether sitting on the shelf or in daily use.”
As a society, we’re naturally drawn to stunning issues. However, in our quest to acquire the newest shiny merchandise, we’ve executed fairly a quantity on Mother Earth, sadly. Amy’s handmade ceramics intention to serve humanity’s wants whereas being type to the planet as properly. Her pottery will final for a few years and is even dishwasher and microwave protected.
According to her web site, right here’s how she makes the attractive ceramics: “I utilize layers of pattern and color to create functional wares that I hope will become modern heirlooms. My inspirations range from vintage fabrics and mid-century modern patterns to fashion and the natural world.
“Each pot starts as a flat slab of red stoneware clay that transforms into a blank canvas once painted with porcelain slip. I like to layer on different patterns and color through tinted slips, ceramic transfers and screen prints—creating a visually interesting surface that is playful and invites you to touch.”
Amy believes all of us have a inventive aspect untapped inside us
As the quote says, “Earth without art with just be ‘eh.’” When Amy seemed deep inside, she realized she had so much left to contribute to the world. Creating handmade ceramics provides her a brand new means of referring to herself and others, making her really feel extra entire. She continues to discover progressive and distinctive prints and molds that can facilitate her progress.
“One of my favorite things that inspires me and keeps me going, is to see where the evolution of ideas take me. Because you might start one place and with one idea and then all kinds of rabbit holes open up,” she says.
“I really believe that we all have a creative spark inside of us, and it’s just a matter of finding the medium that excites you and ignites that spark. But, I think we’re all very creative and I would encourage someone to just realize that you have creativity inside of you, waiting to come out.”
Amy’s journey has taken her on a wild journey the final 4 or 5 years. What began as only a passion reworked right into a small business that really feeds her soul. While she works solo, she makes use of different artwork kinds to maintain her engaged whereas creating the handmade ceramics.
“There are so many tools; of course, I can’t live without clay, I can’t live without all my shaping tools. But my phone is really integral to my creative business – I make a lot of process videos. I also can’t live without music and podcasts. I have a home studio, so sometimes that can feel very isolating, I think I use the podcasts and the music to feel connected and have some company in the studio,” she says.
Final ideas on the artist who creates purposeful, stunning handmade ceramics
There’s one thing about sipping your morning espresso in a clay mug that makes you take a look at the world with new eyes. It connects you to the Earth and your self in a a lot deeper means. That’s what Amy hoped folks would discover by her artwork – a brand new appreciation for a slower, extra eco pleasant life-style.
While all of her handmade ceramics are presently offered out, maintain checking again for brand new updates! I feel all of us may use one in every of these espresso mugs proper about now.
