#howiAMACO InstaFeature - Tiffany Thomas
Tiffany Thomas
Instagram: @tthomasarts
Website: www.tthomasarts.com
Tiffany's rough-cut, nature-inspired wares gripped our attention right away. Using a beautiful combination of underglaze washes, staining, and lustres, her work draws inspiration from the tallest mountain peaks all the way down to the depth of the ocean. From gemstone decorated mugs to asymmetrically faceted cups and vases, none of Tiffany's pieces are ever quite the same, each piece a unique and beautiful creation in its own right.
How did you come to be interested in working with clay?
I’ve always been interested in creating, even as a child. I grew up on a farm with 5 siblings. My father was a general contractor, so he would bring home all sorts of random things for us to explore and enjoy. We would go outside and play in the dirt and mud almost everyday. When I graduated high school, I had no idea what to do. I bounced from drafting, IT and graphic design.
One day, I was walking past the ceramic studio at my college and was fascinated when I saw a student throwing on the pottery wheel. I signed up for classes and immediately fell in love with clay. It reminded me of the mud pies and tactile creating I experienced as a child.
What inspires your work?
Nature. I’m so in love with nature. I feel close to God when I’m surrounded by mountains and the ocean. It makes me feel so small and helpless; nature reminds me of my frail humanity.
I like to carve mountains and etch waves of clay on my pieces. The waves represent wisps of smoke on some of the pieces. On other pieces, it represents the crashing waves in the ocean.
What’s your favorite thing about clay?
I work with porcelain clay. It so finicky! But I LOVE the translucency and the buttery feel of the clay as you throw.
Which AMACO products do you always find yourself going back to? How do these products speak to your work?
I swear by the underglazes! They’re so versatile and fun to work with. I especially love the designer velvet glazes. It add so much character to the gemstones I carve on my mugs.
If you were an ice cream flavor, what would you be and why?
I would be vegan rocky road. Complicated because I can make some simple things complicated and confusing.
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Radiohead - Ok Computer
If you weren't an artist, what would you be?
Oh gosh...probably a librarian. Or a tree.