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8.2.18

For ceramic artist Amelia Davis of Two Hands Full, pottery is a moving meditation. Each piece is a product of pure presence, inspired by the hues, textures, colors and landscapes of the natural world — and frankly, we can feel it.

When we wrap our fingers around one of Amelia’s handmade ceramic mugs or bowls, we’re instantly transported to a place of pure beauty and grounding — a moment that makes us want to slow down and savor each and every sensory detail. We can just imagine her sitting at the pottery wheel in beautiful Washington where she now lives, two hands full of clay and a heart full of earthly inspiration. Can the same be said for a shelf of identical Ikea cups?

Loading up our lives with pretty plate-ware isn’t what wellness is about. But turning something as perfunctory as plating food for yourself into a moment you’re grateful and excited for is mindfulness in action. Nothing can elevate a mess of fresh veggies like a piece of functional artwork in the form of a plate beneath.

We asked Amelia to join our In The Studio series where we peek into the private spaces where artists of all discipline make their magic happen. Below, we’re exploring Amelia’s stack summer reads, the 70s inspired soundtrack she’s blasting in the studio and a meditative mantra we can’t help but love…

Two Hands Full ceramics amelia davis

To get the creative juices flowing I…

Eat a big breakfast and do a body scan once I sit down at the wheel.

Daily necessity:

Eating well + a dog walk in the woods.

My favorite current project is:

A collection of serving wares, and some new colorways (including a matte black!).

Favorite object in the studio:

A curly maple tool (with my name engraved) I made in the wood shop in high school when I first started working with clay.

Latest inspirations:

Darkness + expressionism in pottery.

Soundtrack in the studio:

It currently oscillates between late-’70s Grateful Dead shows (a staple) and vibe-y soul/hip-hop like Hiatus Kaiyote or Tribe Called Quest. I also listen to podcasts and books on tape. Some days I prefer silence with only the hum of the wheel.

Most common visitors to the studio:

One of the two dogs, Piper or Aja.

Favorite spots in the neighborhood:

Our well-trodden trail at Point Defiance, State Street Beer, the farmers market and High Voltage Records.

Other photographers / artists inspiring me right now:

Agnes Martin, Evan M. Cohen, Milton Avery, Maria Martinez.

When I’m not in the studio I am here:

Cooking, knitting, gardening or outside with the dogs (hiking, swimming, in the woods).

My art supply/ styling tool obsession:

Kraft paper.

Favorite galleries / museums in the city:

I love what they’re doing up at the Frye Museum in Seattle.

Currently reading:

Lonesome Dove, Hunger Makes Me a Modern Woman by Carrie Brownstein, Total I-Ching by Stephen Karcher (never just one!).

Organizational item I can’t live without:

Pen and paper.

My aesthetic in 3 words:

Earthly, refined, utilitarian.

Current mantra:

In, out
Deep, slow
Calm, ease…
Present… wonderful..

(via Thich Nhat Hanh)

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