Hi! I'm Amy McClure and I'm the owner of Olaria Studio. Olaria simply means pottery in Portuguese, which I kind of speak after having spent some time in Brazil after college. I create all the pieces that you see on this site by hand. I learned this particular skill at the University of Montevallo and have since developed into more of a jewelry-maker of sorts, even though I enjoy a lot of mediums such as graphic design and printmaking...as well becoming a new afficionado of letterpress & metalsmithing. I use some printmaking & graphic design elements to give my work a playfulness as well, bringing a little bit of modernity to the traditional expectations of works in clay.

Currently, I like to incorporate the use of found objects to embellish the formal qualities of my work such as texture, color & design. Keeping an eye toward function & quality is also an important part of the creative process for me. I use mid to high-fire clay & glazes, which offer me a range of finishes & natural variations. I use an array of slips, stains, glazes, underglazes, & even a few overglazes to create my work.

What inspires me is thinking about things being beautiful in their everyday place, like within the art nouveau movement. Things had functionality & encompassed a lot of different mediums. There was a touch of femininity & natural elements that were used in the most unexpected places. I hope it inspires you as well!