Meet Amanda Halliday | Ceramic Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Halliday and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started out doing pottery as a hobby to give me a creative escape from my more technical day job. As I honed my craft and began really loving what I was creating, I noticed others were loving it as well. My day job was burning me out and pottery was filling me with so much peace and happiness that I began exploring the possibilities. It started with choosing to have a booth at a holiday market, just to see how it went. After that, I was hooked! The energy I got from people loving and purchasing my art was all I needed to keep pushing forward. Since then I have been slowly building my business and going to more and more markets. The next step for me is looking into online sales and beginning to step away for my technical work more and more as my pottery business grows.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
First and foremost, I try to have fun with my art. I want people to use my pieces and have then bring a smile to their face. This is why I love making functional art with a whimsical flare. It took some time to allow myself to let go of my inner perfectionist and learn to have fun with what I was making more than trying to make the most perfect piece ever. As soon as I learned that ceramic arts doesn’t need to be so serious, I think that is when my brand really began shaping. I wasn’t sure if people would be interested in mugs with octopus tentacles or coasters shaped like fried eggs, but it was so rewarding to see how people responded and I knew I could build my business by having fun with what I was making.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
So many options, it is hard to think where to begin. I’ll put things in categories of my favorites.

Outdoors – hiking in boulder, Union Reservoir or Lake Dillon for paddle boarding & kayaking, Red Rocks & Garden of the Gods for the gorgeous Colorado red rock, even just a drive out I-70 for the gorgeous mountain views

Eat – Work & Class, Supermegabien, Hops & Pie, Hey Kiddo, Sushi Den, Hop Alley, El Five, Linger… I could go on an on. I am such a foodie and love trying new restaurants!

Drink – The Tatarian, The Stockroom, Lady Jane, Williams & Graham, The Family Jones Spirit House, Death & Co, Adrift… there is no shortage of great cocktail bars! Or if beer if their jam then there is a brewery on every corner it seems, but some of my favs are Call to Arms, Bruz, and Crooked Stave

Hang Out – RiNo for the incredible art murals, Little Eden for the most amazing plant greenhouse, and I can’t forget Meow Wolf!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have to thank my husband first and foremost. He let me turn half of our downstairs into a pottery studio, which has just continued to expand and take over more of our house. He is always my biggest champion and encourages me even when I am doubting myself.

Instagram: @amanda.halliday.ceramics