Three Days with Steven Hill!
February 23-25, 2024, Friday, 7-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.$225Class size: up to 30 students Steven is a master at creating lively, undulating forms enhanced with his beautiful, complex glazes that shift from matte to glossy on the same surface, achieving reduction-fired results in an electric kiln. In this three day demonstration workshop we'll learn about his unique tchniques. Throughout the 3 days Steven will discuss his philosophical approach towards making functional pottery.
Steven will start the weekend on Friday evening with a slide show.
In the two days of demonstrations, On Saturday Steven will throw, assemble, apply slip, all the while communicating his enthusiasm for functional porcelain, spraying glazes and single firing. Steven considers form the most important single aspect of his pottery, paying particular attention to rims, feet, lids, spouts, and handles. Discussions will cover philosophy, design, technique, and making a living as a potter.He will make and assemble a wide range of forms, including pitchers, bowls, teapots, vases, covered jars, mugs, and unamis. On Sunday Steven will demonstrate trimming and assembly of pots. The day will include discussion of spraying and layering of glazes, electric firing, and a glazing demonstration of his personal techniques of spraying and layering glazes.
Steven will bring samples of his amazing work for us to see at the workshop. It will be available for students to purchase.
Steven's Artistic Journey “I have been inspired by the variation that occurs naturally across the surface of salt, soda and wood fired pots. In my own pottery, I have been creating atmospheric surface qualities through careful blending and layering of sprayed glazes for 50 years!”
Until December of 2008 Steven fired exclusively gas reduction, but he has discovered that his cascading rivulets of ash-like glazes and mysterious microcrystalline mat surfaces work just as effectively in oxidation as they do in reduction! Even the rich brown and orange colors that he always attributed to reduction firing are possible in oxidation. These days Steven fires exclusively ^6-8 electric oxidation.
Steven has single fired his pottery since the early 70’s and he will also touch on how this technique has influenced and inspired his work over the years.
Steven says, "I love the variation that occurs naturally across the surface of salt, soda and wood fired pots. I salt fired for 2 years in the early 70’s but spent the next 38 years reduction firing in gas kilns. During the time I reduction fired I learned to create atmospheric surface qualities through careful blending and layering of sprayed glazes.
"In December 2008 I discovered that reduction plays a rather insignificant role in the finished look of my pottery. The cascading rivulets of ash-like glazes and mysterious microcrystalline mat surfaces work just as effectively in oxidation as they do in reduction! Even the rich brown and orange colors that I always attributed to reduction firing are possible in oxidation."