#howiAMACO InstaFeature - Shannon Abac
Beauty is often exemplified in simplicity, and Shannon Abac’s work is no exception. She’s a ceramicist based in San Francisco, California. Her work is characterized by black and white patterns and the repetition of simple shapes and lines on each piece make for deceptively simple but beautiful pieces. Abac’s wares include planters, plates, mugs, and spoons all delicately decorated with intricate line work, dots, or organic shapes that have us scrolling and smiling.
How did you come to be interested in working with clay?
I took my first ceramics class during my freshman year of high school and was instantly captivated by the tactile nature of clay. I went with my intuition and made the decision to focus on ceramics in undergraduate and graduate school and am now passing on my knowledge as a ceramics instructor in the SF Bay Area.
What inspires your work?
Since I can remember, I have always had a strong desire to create and experiment and every day in the studio is a day I’m learning from successes and/or failures. I look forward to making new work, trying out new patterns and forms, and troubleshooting issues with pots that could be improved.
What’s your favorite thing about clay?
The tangibility of clay as a material. I love that I can quickly make something out of a lump of clay that can then become a part of someone's day to day life.
Which AMACO products do you always find yourself going back to? How do these products speak to your work?
AMACO Velvet Underglazes are the best and most versatile underglazes I’ve ever used. I work in a range of temperatures so I appreciate that AMACO underglazes can be fired from low to high temperatures. Surface design and pattern is central to the pen + ink pottery collection. Each piece is hand painted with underglazes— the interior is glazed in a gloss finish while the raw clay body is left exposed on the exterior to highlight the texture and matte finish of unglazed clay.