Steve’s Bio

Steve Davis-Rosenbaum was born and raised in San Francisco, California. In 1986, he received a Master of Fine Arts in ceramics from the University of Georgia and accepted a two-year residency as Resident Studio Potter at Berea College, Berea, KY. Since 1988, Mr. Davis-Rosenbaum has operated SDR Pottery/DARO Gallery in Lexington, KY, producing functional and decorative pottery.

In 1990, he accepted a shared faculty position with his wife, Kate, teaching art at Midway College, KY, for 16 years. Currently, he is the Head of the Craft Education & Outreach at Berea College, KY, teaching underserved schools in Appalachia the craft traditions (broom making, weaving, and clay).

Steve’s work has been exhibited in juried national and international exhibitions in addition to being published in books and ceramic periodicals, including Southern Living, Ceramics Monthly, and Pottery Making Illustrated. He has been awarded several awards and grants, including the Kentucky Art Counsels Al Smith Fellowship Award, Kentucky Museum of Art and Design, and Lexington Art and Cultural Council.

He writes about his work:

Much of my pottery originates in the basic human joys of eating and cooking with all their overtones: fireside, nourishment, caring, and celebration. Beautiful pottery dishes have become synonymous with my love of food and its presentation. Even my vases present themselves to me in the context of a table setting. I make my pottery based on my personal domestic needs and lifestyle choices, and the focus of my production is everyday dishes for use in cooking, dining, and home decoration.

My influences are varied, though rooted in the American studio potter movement. While these influences are the foundation of my style and philosophy, my pottery dishes have contemporary sensibilities that fit today’s lifestyles. My ultimate goal is to create pottery that is fresh and alive in its form, color, surface, and affordable for everyday use. The beauty of my work is in its use, and only through use can one see the true beauty of the pottery dishes.