Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amy Brummond. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Amy, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

I found clay later in life, and often wonder what it would have been like to spend my early years studying ceramics. I have a B.A. in Humanities that I never use. I do sometimes wonder, “What if?”

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Amy Brummond is the creative force behind Pine Zen Pottery. She describes herself as a clay enthusiast Her life in clay began back in 1999 when she was living in Yellow Springs, Ohio. At that time, she took an “Intro to Pottery”course at the local community center, and fell in love with throwing on the kickwheel. She successfully crafted a handful of thrown doorstops—Errrr—bowls, that she still cherishes to this day. Unfortunately, (or fortuitously) Amy had to set clay aside to finish her degree in Humanities, and pursue her passion for cooking and baking—but a seed had been planted.
Fast forward to 2015, when Amy’s youngest son started kindergarten. After years of staying home with her two sons, she was longing to find a professional/personal pursuit beyond that of motherhood. The memory of her brief time working with clay came back as a central idea, and perhaps a path forward. So she took a leap and bought a kickwheel, used kiln, and some clay, and set up shop in a shed on her property surrounded by tall pine trees. In 2019, after several years exploring wheel throwing, Amy turned her attention and passion to the slab building technique.
Since then, she has been flying by the seat of her pants, and making it up as she goes. Amy has built a successful creative business working with clay, while also still raising two crazy teenage boys. She is known for her colorful, vibrant stamped surfaces and post update happy dances.
Amy’s work has been featured in Pottery Making Illustrated, as an artist through Charlie Cummings Gallery in Florida, and in the Artful Home catalog.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a creative is being part of a community of like minded people. The clay community is so generous and welcoming. Knowledge is shared, successes celebrated, and challenges commiserated with. It’s also so valuable to see how many different ways there are to use the same material—clay—in a nearly infinite amount of ways. I collect ceramics as well, and that in itself is a valuable resource for learning and growing.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Finding clay as a middle-aged woman, and pursuing it as a career was a big risk! To me the act of reinvention is an act of resilience. Forging a new way forward that you can’t even imagine— that’s resilience. And failing again and again, but learning and growing into the artist and person you long to be—that’s resilience. It takes courage, persistence, and ultimately a lot of hard work.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pinezenpottery.com
• Instagram: @pinezenpottery
• Facebook: Pine Zen Pottery

Image Credits
The photos are taken by me—Amy Brummond