Steven Hill
Birth Date: 1951

Artist Gallery
Steven has been a professional studio potter since 1974. Faculty positions have included Avila College, Kansas City Art Institute, and Kansas State University who awarded him the Outstanding Alumni Award in 2002. Steven was the founder and co-owner of Red Star Studios Ceramic Center in Kansas City, Missouri, and Center Street Clay in Sandwich, Illinois. Steven is now a proud member of 323 Clay in Independence, MO, doing what he does best - making pots and teaching. Steven discovered a passion for teaching early on in his career and has conducted nearly 300 workshops. His work has been featured in over 150 exhibits and dozens of books. When asked about his work, Steven said: "I make wheel thrown, single-fired, functional porcelain. My focus is relatively narrow and my work has always been a slow evolution of form and surface, including drinking vessels, pitchers, teapots, plates, bowls, covered jars and vases. Potters speak of the "Kiln Gods," but for me the magic resides more in the application process than the mystery of fire. Each of my pieces has 4-8 different glazes. Some are sprayed in a way that isolates them from others, like the black glaze on the rim, handle, and foot of a pitcher, but most are layered and blended. My intention is for the whole pot to look like one rich and varied surface, much like weathered rock or moss growing on the north side of a tree trunk. I want my glazes to ebb and flow, with color and surface texture gently emphasizing changes in form. I encourage micro-crystalline growth on the glaze surface, which can resemble a snowstorm or falling leaves, and I use ash-like glazes to encourage streaking, leaving vivid traces of glazes interacting with and flowing through each other as they melt. Most of my glaze combinations are rather unstable to work with, but at their best they have an amazing ability to allure and captivate the viewer. One thing is certain... they are never boring or predictable! Function keeps me rooted, and the journey of experimenting with form and new glaze combinations pushes me forward."