Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Phillips.
Hi Stephen, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Pottery, for me, started as a kid. I grew up in the countryside of Mississippi, playing in the mud without understanding or knowledge of pottery/ceramics. My first time taking a pottery class was in junior college at East Mississippi Community College. My art professors were Mr. Cherry and Ms. Spinks during my enrollment there. After I graduated from EMCC, I transferred to Mississippi University for Women in 2009. MUW started accepting men in 1982, and attending this university by choice gave me the support system I have until now. I’m a part of the “Long Blue Line” history as a MUW alumni. My ceramics professors were Alisa Holen and Ian Childers. They have played a massive part in the influences of my work. I am where I am today because of my great instructors and their ever-encouraging words and push toward greatness. After graduating from MUW in 2013, I continued to work with clay in the bedroom of my mom’s home with a tabletop wheel by Shimpo and a small firebox Skutt kiln. I purchased a rent-to-own portable storage building in 2015 to convert into my studio space. In 2015, Stephen’s Potter House Productions was established. Little did I know that my professors were watching my growth and progress on social media. My very first professional exhibition as a ceramics artist opportunity was granted to me by Dr. Joyce, who is the gallery director at MUW, in 2018. The exhibition opening was at the beginning of 2019, and I’ve been going places and creating various pieces ever since.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My biggest struggle has been prioritizing my schedule and time.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
I have been exploring the juxtaposition of textures and colors. I use underglazes as the base color and gloss glazes on top to differentiate between the textures and appearances provided by both glazes. I use electrical tape to create patterns and geometrical shapes. When the tape is removed, revealing the underglaze surface, these pieces are fired at cone 5/6 (around 2167 or 2232 degrees F oxidation). Every piece created becomes an individual that belongs to a large family or collection. This style became famous and known as my Color Contrast Series. Other pieces I create are raku-fired for completion. This is the technique I used to create my Black Panther Series Vol. 2, which became very popular in 2019. The unglazed surface of the bisque pot will turn a matte black during the raku firing process, allowing the differentiation between the unglazed surface and the glazed area. These pieces are finished using gold wax as an accent and cold-sealed with clear acrylic spray paint. I’m mostly proud of being able to have work featured in various galleries across the nation and being featured in the “Contemporary Black African American Ceramic Artist” book by Donald Clark and Chotsani Elaine Dean. What sets me apart from other artists is how I create my work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stephenspotterhouseproductions.com/
- Instagram: @sphouseproductions
- Facebook: Stephen’s Potter House Productions
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@stephenphillips6953
Image Credits
Stephen Phillips
