#howiAMACO InstaFeature - Leah Combs

Leah Combs

Instagram: @lcpottery
Website: www.LeahCombsPottery.com

Leah Combs is a potter based in Lexington, Kentucky, working with porcelain to create adorable, handmade wares. Leah’s work delighted us with its clean lines, simple patterns, and charming use of pops of color. From delicate polka dots to pretty patterning to the occasional candid and/or humorous turn of phrase, Leah’s work is sure to make you ooh and aah.

How did you come to be interested in working with clay?

I have been interested in clay since college. I was a painting and drawing major but had to take a 3D course before moving on to my concentration classes. Painting and drawing had always come easy to me, so when I was faced with a 3 dimensional surface I didn't even know where to start. It was a challenge and clay never stops being a challenge, so I have been addicted to it ever since.

What inspires your work?

There are many factors that influence my work, mainly patterns and designs. I enjoy going to vintage shops and thrift stores where an abundance of items from past decades live and finding ways to bring those past designs to the surface of a modern piece of well crafted pottery, but also invoking a feeling of comfort and nostalgia.

What’s your favorite thing about clay?

My favorite thing about clay is that there is a never ending learning process. There is always more to research and refine, and new techniques to develop.

Which AMACO products do you always find yourself going back to? How do these products speak to your work?

My absolute favorite AMACO products would have to be the Velvet Underglazes. I like to decorate and refine my work and designs at the greenware stage and the Velvets allow me to do this with very crisp lines and saturated colors that I can't find anywhere else.

Who was your childhood hero?

My childhood hero was my grandmother. She lived right up the street from me and was a painter, I spent countless hours with her and she would always send me home with some candy in my pocket.

What's your favorite book?

My favorite book is anything by Margaret Atwood, specifically her MaddAddam trilogy.

What's your Hogwarts House?

Ravenclaw