Artwork copyright Amanda Jaffe. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Magpies, 1985

Amanda Jaffe
American (born 1953)

Location: Washington State Arts Commission, Olympia

About the Artwork

Magpies is ceramic tile artwork created by artist Amanda Jaffe. It features two magpies chasing after a cat, set against blue waves. The artist notes, “Magpies are aggressive birds. When a magpie is pursued by a cat, the magpie may launch its own attack on the frustrated cat.”

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Washington State Arts Commission.

About the Artist

Amanda Jaffe is a ceramic artist who draws from the landscape and culture of the two states where she lives, New Mexico and Montana. Her work is abstract with references to the landscape. It also often contains ceramic objects including boats, flowers and leaves. She creates ceramic tile paintings, murals, and smaller sculptural forms.
Jaffe earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in ceramics from Indiana University and Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Montana. She is Professor Emeritus at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, where she taught ceramics from 1985 to 2011.