If you’re heading to Raku Party this Saturday, one of the faces you’re sure to see is Steven Kin, Pewabic Street Team technician. Like everyone in our Education Studio, Raku Party has a soft spot in their heart.
“It’s an all day event so it can get a little taxing, but it’s a lot of fun,” they say.
“I really like to see people’s reactions to raku, especially if they haven’t seen it before. Ceramics-in-about-an-hour is nice to show people and it’s enough to get people intrigued. If they want to know more, we’re an institution and we can teach more about it.”
When they aren’t stoking the raku fire at Pewabic, Steven works on their personal pottery, which for the month of October has included their own version of #promptober and #inktober. Finding the designer prompts tough to translate to pottery, they created their own for #pottober to have fun and to keep their skills sharp. We caught up with them in the studio on day seven when their challenge was intentionally broad: “tea.”
“I’ve only made about two teapots ever, so this is a personal challenge. I’ve made many teacups and tea bowls, so it’s a chance to make something new,” explains Steven, who admits they happen to need a teapot at home.
Other prompts are items they never really thought much about making, like the “butter dish” they made on day four or the “donut” they have planned for day 21. Breaking out of the norm is what they like about #pottober.
“I don’t think you can be normal and be in this profession. Then again, this is our normal now so I guess we are normal,” they laugh.
We plan on adding a few finished pieces down the line (including the teapot below, assembled and fired). In the meantime, follow Steven and their #pottober mission – and to see what they've made so far (love those butter dishes) – @s_kin on Instagram.
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so cool! People keep telling me to download “the gram” I think I will – thank you!