STATEMENT & BIOGRAPHY

Many years ago, I chose pottery as a vehicle for self-expression as an artist. I found joy and meaning in the making of objects that weave into our daily lives through use.  

Pottery is an active participant in the coming together of people and the enjoyment of food. I came to understand just how ripe with possibility the connection between pottery and food could be. The idea that the complexities of art and food can exist in the same plane fueled an understanding that this interaction is capable of providing joy and value in our daily lives. 

Nature and the natural are inspirations for my surface treatments.  I often find inspiration while hiking or walking my dogs.  Growing up in a rural area acquainted me with a love and appreciation for the natural world. In my youth, family members blessed me with this love of nature teaching me to identify plants and trees in the gardens and the woods on the family farm.

My first introduction to clay was in high school where I found a place of confidence and familiarity after spending many summers assisting my grandparents in their gardens on their farm.  I went on to teach ceramics at summer camps in Maine while earning a BFA from the University of North Texas, and a MFA from East Carolina University.  After completing my degrees, I returned to Maine to teach ceramics at Gould Academy.  In 2001, I returned to the south where I married and started a family. Since then, I have been a resident artist at several arts and crafts facilities including, the Appalachian Center of Craft in Smithville, TN, Morean Center for Clay in St. Petersburg, FL and the Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, ME.   In addition to keeping a home studio, I have been teaching art full-time for 15 years at Walters State Community College in Morristown, TN where I am a professor of art and department chair.   

@amyevansstudio 

Q&A WITH THE ARTIST

Carbondale Clay Center (CCC): What’s your favorite beverage?

Amy Evans (AE): Derby Day Mint Julep

• Mint Sprigs

• 5 mint leaves

• 1 ½ Oz. Simple Syrup

• 2 Oz. Bourbon

• Crushed Ice

Clap the mint leaves between hands to release the oils, rub the inside of the glass with leaves, place them in the bottom of the glass. Fill glass with crushed ice. Add in simple syrup, bourbon and fill the glass with ice until it mounds over the top. Garnish with mint sprig. Cheers!

CCC: Where does your creative process begin (i.e. sketchbook, specific routine, image reference, etc.)? What considerations do you think about when creating drinking vessels?

AE: I find that ideas can spring up at any time.  During this past year, I have spent more time in the kitchen preparing meals and taking notice of what serving items work better for serving food and beverages.  As I make discoveries, I turn to my sketchbook to record my observations and ideas.  This process allows for research and records what seems to be a good idea in the moment. Some of those ideas then make it to the studio while others are weeded out for a variety of reasons.

I think that it is important to consider what type of beverage will likely be served in the vessel.  Will it be hot, cold, iced? 

CCC: Do you have a certain type of vessel that you prefer to drink from? Does it vary based on the beverage?

 AE: As an avid hot tea and coffee drinker, I love mugs.     

I find that I gravitate toward cups with handles when drinking a hot beverage like coffee or tea.  When drinking cold beverages, like beer or iced tea, I like a larger tumbler form that enables me to wrap my hand around the form.  For special drinks and occasions, I prefer celebratory smaller cups that are wide enough to hold a large cube of ice. 

CCC: When creating a mug, I often hear about the detail and time taken for the handle. Do you have a handle size and type that you prefer to use? Why? Does that directly inform your creative process?

AE: Handles do take time and should feel good to the user.  I admire cups with ornate or inventive approaches to the handle, but ultimately, I want my handle to feel comfortable in the user’s hand.  To me, this means that the handle springs from the cup in a way that creates an effortless balanced feeling.  If the handle is too snug, fingers feel cramped, if it springs out too much, it puts a strain on the hand and wrist.  I also consider the thickness and width of the handle.  My drinking style is to hold a cup with two fingers but I also consider those that may have a more delicate or aggressive drinking style.  

Absolutely, I find that when making mugs and steins, I am careful to address handles.  I take the take to check for that perfect handle proportion, handle thickness, making sure handle is cleanly crafted.

CCC: What makes handmade pottery unique to you? Why use a handmade object to sip your coffee, tea, water, etc.?

AE: Like many potters and collectors, I am drawn to the energy that a handmade object radiates.  There is a connection between the maker and user that does not come across in mass produced wares.  When paired with a carefully crafted meal or beverage, the entire experience is enhanced and elevated to a celebratory event.  It feels as though you are more mindful and appreciative of the meal or beverage.

CCC: What influences your pots? What are you looking at or thinking about when making specific beverageware?

AE: I find that I am very responsive to my natural surroundings. As I mentioned earlier, I like to cook, but I also love being outdoors hiking, gardening and kayaking.  My parents gifted me a love of nature and this often is what I gravitate toward when approaching the surface of my work.

I am really considering form first and then surface treatment.  I want the form to be interesting in shape but figuring out the placement of imagery or decoration in a way that enhances and works with the form.  

CCC: Is there a certain type of drinking vessel that you prefer making? Or one that seems to always be sought after by customers?

AE: Mugs for coffee are the most sought after vessel I make.  The humble mug is such a practical art object.  They are often more affordable than other pieces, are used daily as well as being such an intimate object.