Ceramic artist Andrew Jowdy Collins (A.J. to friends) specializes in porcelain. In Pittsburgh since 2012, he’s been working with clay for 23 years and as a full-time artist for five.
Andrew Jowdy Collins met Brenda Friday about four years ago and began making custom works for spaces she designed, then going on to make limited edition pieces for her store, Shoppe B. “She’s also selected fine art pieces to highlight in her shop,” he says, “which has evolved to be something of a gallery with all the really superb work she’s curated.”
Collins feels fortunate to have met a bunch of truly good people (and artists) here who are his “support network, my most rigorous critics and true friends,” he says. “So that’s made Pittsburgh a soulful and rewarding place to practice my vocation.”
The city’s also been wonderful for meeting new clients and collectors who deeply value art and the processes that go into making it. “There’s plenty of unpretentious art knowledge and sharp eyes in this city, fortunately.”
Read our article about Shoppe B and Brenda Friday to learn more about local artists Rachael Ryan, Mia Tarducci, Laura Jean McLaughlin, and Philip Soucy.
Story by Corinne Whiting / Photos Courtesy of Matt Dayak
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