A Day in the Life: Amelia Johannsen

Amelia Johannsen is a full-time ceramic artist who also supports her local creative community via FrikiFish.com, an online magazine dedicated to the local art scene. Originally from Portland, Oregon, she fell in love with Barcelona in 2001 and decided there was no going back to the rain.

8:00 On my best days I meditate and stretch first thing in the morning. Other days, I make a cup of coffee and climb back into bed with my laptop to work on my blogs. My dog decides how long this can last. As soon as she says, “let’s go!” we’re off for our morning walk on Montjuïc.

My morning commute to the 137° Ceramic Art Studio in PobleNou is a 20-minute bike ride. (One of the many things I don’t miss about the States is the need to drive everywhere!) I ride along the port and the beach instead of battling traffic on the city streets.

To start my day at the studio, I work alongside other ceramic artists and help them with their projects  during Open Hours. This is a time when members work independently and I’m available as a guide and tutor. I often prefer this to teaching because I love to help! But I also keep a tight schedule with lots of ongoing projects. 

For this reason, my only teaching gigs are Pottery and Wine Nights and private parties. See, I even combine work with socializing!

14:00 Lunchtime may be heating up leftovers and getting cozy at my desk to share my new work on Instagram while I eat. Or walking down the street to eat a menu del dia with my fellow artists. I try to stick to a healthy plant-based diet and thankfully Poblenou has tons of great cafés and restaurants.

One of the best things about being an artist and freelancer is that no two days are the same. I’m always doing similar activities related to my work, but there’s no such thing as a routine. 

After lunch, I may be trimming pots that I made in the morning, continuing to build a sculpture for my upcoming exhibition, or I could be up to my elbows in clay recycling or other activities related to my trade.

I wish it were all making (aka living the dream), but when you start out and you can’t afford to hire help, your job is multifaceted, to say the least. When I say I’m a “ceramics artist” I’m really saying I’m a potter, studio grunt, accountant, photographer, web page builder, blogger, promoter, networker, salesperson… I must be forgetting something!

18:00 There are days when I make it home with time in the evening to cook a nice meal, relax at home with my partner or spend time with friends. Other days I get wrapped up in my work and stay really late at the studio. I’m always trying to balance being a night owl and early bird at the same time. 

For me, a good day means a productive day while having fun at the same time!

Amelia Johannsen started Amelia J Creations  in 2017, making wheel-thrown vessels and tableware for functional use as well as contemporary fine art ceramics to shape spaces and visions. At the same time, she founded FrikiFish to help build and support her local artistic community by organizing events and contributing supportive online content about art in Barcelona.

You can reach Amelia on Twitter at @AmeliaJCreate, Facebook at @AmeliaJCreations, Instagram at @ameliajcreations or connect on LinkedIn.