Season 6: "The Amy Pike Show", Helene Recovery Series

Season 6: "The Amy Pike Show” Helene Recovery Series  Inside this Episode with Mitch Hampton: One of the many themes of our podcast is the act of human creation itself, in all of its myriad forms, and how humans always already are creating in specific circumstances.  Amy Pike, a jewelry maker, is one of the artists in our community who was affected by the Hurricane Helene in the Fall of 2024. While we hope to have other episodes in. connection with this event, every artist, as an individual human being, is unique and I loved my conversation with her as she sat in her studio discussing her life and careers, including a substantial  one in music  I can't think of a better guest really to inaugurate a series on how all of us cope in a most difficult circumstance and thrive as well as survive. More about Amy and her  beautiful works, here: Since I have trouble writing about myself, let me share the lovely artist bio written for me by friends at The Gallery of the Mountains. Amy Pike was born in New Orleans. She is the daughter of two artists – a potter and a photographer. Her early exposure to the creative world through artist studios and craft shows set the foundation for her artistic journey, which now includes jewelry-making. However, her initial venture was in the realm of music. Amy honed her singing skills, establishing herself as a notable vocalist in Atlanta’s nightclub scene and beyond on the East Coast. Her musical repertoire included genres like Rockabilly, Swing, and Hot Club Jazz of the 30s and 40s. She has received accolades for both her singing and songwriting abilities, with her music gracing radio waves and even national commercials. She’s truly multi-talented! Amy relocated to Asheville in 2004. While she still performs at venues around town, her creative interests have evolved. She began quilting and making art dolls, which led to the opening of a small fabric store in West Asheville. This new path introduced her to Haywood Community College’s esteemed craft program. Here, Amy focused on metalsmithing, culminating in her earning a degree in Professional Craft Metals and Jewelry. Today, as a member of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild, Amy has her own home studio and teaches metalsmithing at Haywood Community College and in the River Arts District. She works with all kinds of metals and stones. Her work is imaginative, well-designed, and expertly crafted, encompassing pieces of all price points and possibilities. But as Amy insists, “… you don’t need precious metals to make beautiful jewelry … all metals are precious if you treat them that way.” Links to Amy’s gorgeous works: Website: https://amypikejewelry.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amypikejewelry/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/torch_and_twang/   #northcarolina #hurricane #tropicalstorm #buncombecounty #bass #song #swingmusic #swingdance #jewelry #ashevilletrong #asheville #nature #climatechange #music #country #jazz #riverartsdistrict #swannanoahriver #metalsmith #gems #geology