Steve MurphySteven J. Murphy’s work is influenced by the forms and techniques of the Japanese art of Yakimono, the spirit of the tea ceremony, and the beauty of Asian cuisine. His colors come from a variety of natural sources, including Asian, British, and American clays, African and American minerals, and ashes from leaves, wood, rice straw, and volcanoes. These materials, along with Murphy’s special firing process, combine to produce a wide range of effects.