Slipped Bowl, Blue Ash & Rust | by Paul Steege

I was in college in the 80s when I learned how to throw pots in the University of Vermont Pottery Co-op. In 1993, I moved to the Sierra foothills and resumed the study of clay with Francesca Roveda, who helped me develop my skills and introduced me to the possibilities of making a living as a studio artist.  

In 1995 I started making pots and taking them to craft shows on the weekends.

Most pieces are made on the potters' wheel with subsequent alteration techniques, and some pieces are constructed from clay slabs. My glaze palette includes traditional Asian-style glazes, such as a smoky gold shino, a fluid wood-ash glaze, and a rich dark temmoku. Many of my pieces are distinguished by handles I make from manzanita twigs.