Debra Steidel

"I have had a lifelong love affair with my work. I can't explain to anyone what drives my passion, what pushes me to work in my studio every day. After thousands of pots thrown, I see an evolution in my work every year. I still look forward to having my hands in clay, the sensation of raising each wall of a vessel, and the creation of an elegant form from a crude chunk of clay."

There is a drive that resides deep within most artists. It isn't about leaving a legacy or attaining wealth. It is essential to their being "to create." Debra's fascination with clay began at the very young age of 18. Nature has been her constant source of inspiration. The plasticity of clay with its endless possibilities have kept her inspired for over 45 years.

Debra throws each piece individually on the potter's wheel using a porcelain-stoneware blend of clay. Additions are initially sculpted in clay, some are then cast in lead crystal glass. Through heat and time, the marriage of simple earth elements of clay, oxides, and silica create a canvas of color and crystal patterns that are as singular as a fingerprint.

Self taught, Debra began her career in 1974. She began selling her work at art fairs and galleries, then worked her way up to the top art fairs in the US. It was an injury in the early 2000's that spurred her to experiment with crystalline and, with that, began her current body of work.