An Inspired Chat with Eleni Falangus Duffy of Lynnwood

Eleni Falangus Duffy shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Eleni, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Lately my 20-month-old has turned me into the sort of person who gets embarrassingly proud over absolutely everything. He’ll stack two blocks and I’m acting like he’s discovered fire. He’ll make a silly sound and I’m laughing like it’s high art. It’s ridiculous and perfect. Watching him figure out the world in these tiny, wobbly ways has become the quiet highlight of my days. Even the smallest moments feel enormous, and I find myself celebrating things I never would have noticed before he arrived.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Eleni, the ceramic artist behind Pottery by Eleni, a small family-run studio based in the Pacific Northwest. I create small-batch porcelain palettes, homeware, and heirloom pieces inspired by nature, storytelling, and the quiet rituals of everyday life. Every piece is handmade in my garage studio, where my husband and I work side by side, and many of the designs are named after women who’ve inspired me throughout my life.

My journey into ceramics began unexpectedly during the 2020 shutdown, after an injury paused my career in costume design. Pottery became both a creative refuge and, eventually, a business rooted in intention, beauty, and community. Today, I focus on limited releases and seasonal collections, each crafted with the hope that these pieces become part of someone’s creative practice, home, or family traditions.

Right now, I’m working on expanding our collection of artist tools and holiday heirlooms, as well as shaping the future of our studio as we grow. Everything I make is meant to bring a little bit of warmth, usefulness, and handmade magic into someone’s day.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
Becoming a mother at 35 completely reshaped the way I see myself. My little boy has been the greatest teacher I never expected. He slowed me down in the best possible way and helped me understand what’s truly important. That shift has influenced everything, from how I run my business to how I take care of myself.

The experience of pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding gave me a deep appreciation for what my body and mind are capable of. It rewrote my confidence. I feel more grounded, more purposeful, and more “myself” than I ever have before. He expanded my world and, at the same time, made it beautifully simple.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
One of the most defining wounds of my life happened during the pandemic. I had just relocated to Seattle, and even though I grew up here, I wasn’t an adult here. I didn’t have a community yet, and I felt unmoored. I missed my life in Los Angeles, the friends and the career I had built, and the sudden stillness of the shutdown made everything feel even heavier.

Then I was injured in a freak fall down the stairs, breaking one ankle and spraining the other. I was immobilized for weeks and had to slowly relearn mobility. That period was isolating in every possible way, and for a while I felt completely lost.

But that forced stillness ended up becoming the turning point. In the quiet, when everything else had fallen away, I finally had the space to reconnect with creativity. That’s when pottery entered my life again. Starting this business healed me in ways I didn’t expect. It gave me purpose, pulled me back into myself, and opened the door to a life and rhythm that I truly love. It made me feel whole again.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
A cultural value I protect at all costs is living a family-centered life. Growing up Greek American, family wasn’t just important, it was the heartbeat of everything. That sense of closeness and care shaped me deeply, and it shows up in my work. My very first pieces were named after the women in my family because they are the ones who taught me strength, creativity, and generosity.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve also embraced the beauty of chosen family. My closest friends are woven into my life in the same way, the kind of people who show up with food when someone is sick, roll up their sleeves to help with home projects, or check in when the world feels heavy. That circle of care is something I protect fiercely. It grounds me, guides my business, and reminds me daily what truly matters.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
I think my customers would miss my painter’s palettes most. My artist collection has become the soul of my studio, and those pieces are some of our most beloved best sellers. When I first started, I imagined homeware would be the focus, but I was genuinely moved to discover how many artists wanted to create with something I made with my own hands.

There’s something incredibly touching about making art for other artists. It feels like a quiet conversation between creatives, a shared language. If I ever stepped away, I think that connection — the palettes, the ritual of painting with something handmade — is what people would miss most.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://potterybyeleni.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pottery_by_eleni/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/potterybyeleni
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PotterybyEleni

Image Credits
Amy Galbraith Duffy