Meet Amy Lamp of Oxford Dogma in East Valley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Lamp.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Amy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve been a maker and artist for as long as I can remember and always took a more structured and methodical approach even as a kid. When I entered college, I made a beeline for the Art Department and discovered graphic design, which is what I chose as my major. I worked for 16 years as a full time designer and worked with clients and teammates to create brand identities, marketing collateral and websites.

In 2014, I took a sabbatical and got back in touch with my hobbies and other creative interests. My husband and I also adopted our first dog together, after 16 years with two exceptional orange tabby cats who had been the center of our home. Having this new dog, a little Chihuahua mix named Pipsqueak, inspired me to sew her a jacket when autumn came. I had so much fun making it that I decided to create a handmade business centered around love for pets. And, that’s how Oxford Dogma was born.

With Oxford Dogma, I get to help people express their devotion to their pets while combining my passion for learning, design, art and making. And, of course, pets! In addition to handmade accessories for dogs, I also create custom portraits of pets. It’s been really fulfilling to get back in touch with my artistic roots after being design-focused for so many years, and I enjoy exploring different ways to capture each pet’s unique personality.

When we adopted Pipsqueak it was my first time at an animal shelter. I was shocked by how many animals were in need of homes — and that was just one shelter! Since I can’t bring every one of them home, I help by donating 5% of each sale to a local shelter. I also volunteer at Lost Our Home Pet Foundation in Tempe to help more pets feel loved.

Has it been a smooth road?
The biggest struggles have been in reaching the people who would be interested in my products, getting traffic to my website, and pricing my products to be profitable. After being in business for a few years, I’m learning more and more about how to approach these things and pivot where necessary to make things work better for me. Which all ties in to a larger lesson: learning to trust my gut and have confidence in my choices instead of following what others have done in their businesses.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Oxford Dogma story. Tell us more about the business.
My mission is for all pets to feel loved. So everything I create ties back to that idea. I specialize in making art and handcrafted accessories for dogs and people who consider their dogs very important members of their families.

My design background influences everything I make, whether it’s a custom portrait commission or a stuffed dog toy. With the portraits, I draw on my professional experience blending provided materials and goals with a creative sensibility. This balance allows my customers to recognize their dog’s individual personality and expression captured in a piece of art.

The accessories I sew provide many different ways for people to express their love for their dogs. My biggest sellers are the clip-on poo bag dispensers that look like little Dopp kits, and a vest-style harness especially for small dogs with delicate necks. I especially like using upcycled fabrics — either provided by the customer or from items I’ve curated from resale shops. I think there’s more meaning in giving new life to something and contributing to a positive cycle of reuse. Plus, I enjoy the design challenge of finding clever ways to use these reclaimed materials!

My customers appreciate the attention to detail they see in everything I make, and get excited when something they’ve imagined comes to life for their dog.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The days when dogs were “just pets” are gone and our culture has embraced them as full-fledged members of our families. And because dogs come in every shape and size, and we’re very attuned to their health and entertainment needs, I think we’ll see an increase in customized product options. Large companies will be able to offer on-demand personalization as manufacturing technology advances. But, I think pet parents will also continue to crave a one-to-one relationship with individual makers who can go above and beyond with customer service and a personal experience.

Contact Info:

• Address: Tempe, AZ
• Website: http://oxforddogma.com
• Email: amy@oxforddogma.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oxforddogma
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oxforddogma
• Other: http://oxforddogma.etsy.com

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.