Steven Hill, Red Star Studios, KC

OK, also heading back to Kansas City potters. Steven Hill today, maker of bodacious and beautiful pots, setting new standards in functional work, and techniques. Maybe he is the best known younger potter of our day, or the most popular?

http://www.redstarstudios.org/steven_statement.php

He and other artists took over an old yeast factory in KC and make pots there, and he travels all over giving workshops. He glazes in multiple layers of color with airbrushing, but one thing that makes him unusual is his once-fired technique. Basically, people like me dry the pots then bisque fire them (call it a half firing) which makes for easily glazing and handling, before you fire them all the way. If you once fire, it is hard to handle the pieces, they are brittle, and you are adding water back to the piece, so it has to be dried carefully too. All right, who cares about all that, look at his wild colors and shapes!