About the Artist
Amanda Fox or AJ, started at Roanoke College in 2017. After taking two gap years she decided to pursue a fine arts degree at Roanoke College graduating in 2023. She started her business Sunny Days Pottery in June of 2023.
AJ has worked in several mediums including charcoal, acrylic, oil, clay, printmaking, and photography. She enjoys working on a large scale doing murals including a mural she did for the Roanoke Valley SPCA. AJ practices utilitarian pottery and is constantly experimenting in new and different ways to grow, learn, and expand her skills. She has a passion and patience for clay.
AJ currently resides in Botetourt County, Virginia with her two Saint Bernards (Loki & Sven), cat (Savannah), and a flock of chickens. The name for her business, Instagram, and Jeep was inspired by her first dog, Sunny, who was a special frisbee loving beautiful yellow lab. She is a big animal lover, Jeep/off-roading enthusiast, and devoted Catholic.
Artist Statement
I fell in love with art at a young age and it's been a passion for me ever since. I was taught early on through society that being an artist isn't practical or financially stable. Throughout my studies at Roanoke College, I learned there are many more paths in the art world available to us then we realize.
I paint realistic, abstract, and conceptual pieces occasionally and focus on utilitarian pottery. I let my emotions, feelings, and thoughts guide me in my process no matter what medium I am working with. I am very detail oriented and strive to reach the full potential of each piece. I work in my studio on the wheel to throw and trim my pottery. I use brown speckled stoneware clay for my pottery that goes through two firings in my electric kilns. Each piece of pottery is uniquely handmade and made with love, I enjoy the variation in size, shape and glaze.
Art has always been a constant thing in my life ever since I was a young girl and I hope to turn my passion into a career. Art is one of my favorite things in the world and I love seeing art and creating it. There is something very satisfying about creating a piece of pottery with your hands that can be admired and useful.