Steven Hill is passionate about ceramics, music and writing. He discovered his passion for writing in 1985 when he decided to write an article about single firing and submit it to Ceramics Monthly. This first article, “An Approach to Single Firing”, was written before he had a computer and the process was extremely painful... notebooks full of scribbled text, with most of it crossed out... extreme difficulty making it flow smoothly... Nine months in the works... He might never have written again if it weren’t for the computer.

In the early 90’s Steven bought his first computer, giving him the ability to compose on a keyboard using word processing. What a marvel it was to be able to cut and paste! Computers have freed up a previous blockage he had towards writing and made it possible for Steven to write nine more articles for Ceramics Monthly, Studio Potter and Pottery Making Illustrated in the 22 years since that first article appeared. He also spent 2 years in the late 90’s writing a monthly column about music, “Through The Cracks”, for a local music publication, "Sound".

Steven has never been short on passion for his chosen profession and it rings true in his writing. Healso loves to interweave quotes from favorite songwriters into his ceramic articles. “Don’t Put The Flames Out” and “Where You’ve Been Is Good And Gone, All You Keep Is The Gettin’ There” bookend a particularly fertile growth period in his pottery and give insight into his creative process. As he waxes philosophical about his pottery influences, he punctuates his thoughts with quotes from Lou Reed and Townes Van Zandt songs.

The technical side of ceramics is also an area of interest and Steven has written twice about single firing, along with pulling handles and spraying glazes. His life goal is to someday write a book equally divided between the technical and philosophical aspects of working in clay.

“Finding Your Voice: Influences and Guidelines”, Ceramics Monthly, October 2023

“Atmospheric-Like Effects for Electric Firing”, Ceramics Monthly, March 2012

“The Eight Month Workshop: A Journey of Discovery”.pdf, Ceramics Monthly, June 2008

“Rethinking Ceramics Workshops”.pdf, Ceramics Monthly, May 2007

“An Approach to Single Firing-Further In”.pdf, Ceramics Monthly, January 2006

“Common Ground: A Showcase of National Artists-In-Residence”.pdf, Ceramics Monthly, January 2006

“Spraying Glazes”.pdf  Pottery Making Illustrated, March/April 2002

“Where You've Been Is Good And Gone, All You Keep Is The Gettin' There”.pdf, Ceramics Monthly, April 1998

“Pulling Handles”.pdf, Pottery Making Illustrated, Spring 1998

“Don't Put The Flames Out”.pdf, Ceramics Monthly, February 1994

“Long Distance Runner”, The Studio Potter, December 1989

“An Approach to Single Firing”.pdf, Ceramics Monthly, January 1986