Ayumi Horie
Ayumi Horie (b. 1969, Maine) is a studio potter living and working in Portland, Maine. Horie’s practice, developed over 20 years, has encompassed many media including ceramics, photography, and social practice, but her primary focus is making functional pots. Her work often includes drawings of animals or other images that seek to provoke an emotional response, explore individual vulnerability, and deepen the connection between people and their communities. Her large-scale ceramics projects include the Democratic Cup Project, Portland Brick, Obamaware, and Pots in Action, among others. Horie has taught and lectured at residencies, art centers, and universities both nationally and abroad, including the International Ceramics Research Center (Denmark), the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (Deer Isle, ME), and the Archie Bray Foundation (Helena, MT). She received the 2015 Distinguished Fellow grant in Craft by the United States Artists and in 2020 was awarded an Honorary Membership at NCECA for her outstanding contributions to the field. Her work can be found in several museum collections, including the Museum of Art and Design (New York, NY). Horie holds a BA from Mount Holyoke College, a BFA in ceramics from the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University and a MFA in ceramics from the University of Washington in Seattle.
