Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Amy Conley and I have been a Ceramic Artist for over 18 years creating all handmade wheel thrown and slab constructed functional art in the foothills of Nevada County.
Why do you do what you do?
I do what I do because it is who I am. I have always been an artist starting as a young child. Coming back to the arts and making a living at it has been the most rewarding endeavor of my adult life.
What themes do you pursue?
My themes are usually nature-inspired whether it being landscape, floral, birds etc. Mainly color is my theme. It awakens my soul.
Describe a real life situation that inspired you.
I am constantly inspired by life but the one incident that struck me the hardest was when vacationing in Bodega Bay and enjoying the beautiful oceans shorebirds, Snowy Plovers to be exact, and learning they are becoming endangered along the pacific coast due to overdevelopment by man. I now create these sweet creatures and affix them to real driftwood.
What jobs have you done other than being an artist?
When I was 18, I went straight to college and instead of pursuing a career as an artist, I chose the more trusted role in the medical/dental field to ensure I could take care of myself. I spent almost 16 years as a licensed RDA, keeping my license for another 7 years for protection, while becoming a full time mother to two boys. When I did go back into the work force part-time, I did a few odd jobs: one as a sushi-maker for a local retail outlet; and the other was a patient coordinator at a Sleep Diagnostics Center.
What are your hobbies?
My hobbies are never ending. I enjoy my work/art, fishing, golfing, wine tasting and cooking. You name it and I’ve probably tried it. Recently I have tried my hand at growing mushrooms… will let you know how my wood inoculations turn out!
