Meet Art Crawl Artist Steven Showalter, Potter

Local potter Steven Showalter says that he has always worked with his hands. After years of teaching art at Prior Lake High School and teaching pottery for community education classes, Showalter decided to open his home studio in 2008.

This year was his first time participating in art shows, such as the Minnesota River Arts Fair, which took place at The Landing earlier this year. On Oct. 6, he will participate in the Scott Couny Art Crawl.

Showalter took some time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions for Patch.

Shakopee Patch: Where did you grow up? 

Steven Showalter: My early childhood was spent on a small farm outside of Alexandria and then we later moved to Rochester. Growing up I made forts in sandboxes, played with legos, and was always working on a piece of artwork. In retrospect, my childhood, which was filled with hands-on activities, played a huge role in my desire to create things with my hands. 

Patch: When did you become interested pottery? 

Showalter: I have always worked with my hands and love the intersection between form and function. As someone who is also very interested in furniture design and creation I have always felt equal part craftsman and artist, and pottery is the perfect outlet for my creativity. I also had the wonderful opportunity to start teaching high school when I was just 22. I learned so much about pottery by teaching it, and as my skills as a potter grew I decided to build my home studio in 2008.  

Patch: What do you teach at Prior Lake High School?

Showalter: I have been teaching art at Prior Lake High School for the past 12 years. When I started I only had 20 students enrolled in pottery and I taught a variety of other art courses. This year with over 400 students taking pottery I primarily teach pottery. I also have taught adult pottery for community education since I began as a teacher. 

Patch: How would you describe your pottery? 

Showalter: I make functional pottery for the home. Because of my love for functional art I meld both form and function to create work that should fulfill its intended purpose while still retaining its one-of-a-kind appeal. I use a wide variety of glazes and spray my glazes which makes for rich surfaces where the glazes run and flow together.     

Patch: What is the inspiration for your pottery? 

Showalter: Pottery is both technical and artistic so I spent the better part of a decade honing skills before I really worked on creating a style. In 2004, a wood-kiln was built at Prior Lake High School between myself and another local potter. I was inspired and drawn to the unique and unpredictable look of the ash and glaze melting together on the surface of the pots. In the past few years, I have worked to recreate the unpredictablity of wood-firing through my glazing techniques at my home studio. 

Patch: When do you like best to work?

Showalter: I prefer to get and early start and work in the mornings, but with a busy teaching schedule I work whenever I can get in the studio. I usually squeeze in about 40 studio hours each week and probably more before a big show.

Patch: What number artist are you for the Art Crawl? 

Showalter: I'll be located at the Village Market for the Art Crawl on Oct. 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. I am number 44.

Local stores where you can find Showalter's pottery: Tupelo in Shakopee; Artisan Coffee Bistro in Prior Lake; and Savage Art Studios and Gallery in Savage.

His pottery is also at: Art Preserve and Studio in White Bear Lake and Tamarack Gallery in Stillwater.

The Savage Arts Council started the Scott County Art Crawl in 2010 as a way for Scott County artists to showcase and sell their work. On Oct. 6, the art crawl will have more than 30 stops throughout northern Scott County.

Related:

• Art at Shakopee Library Part of Scott County Art Crawl Preview

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