Stephen Driver has been a professional potter for more than fifty-two years. His lifelong dedication to ceramics has taken him through multiple phases from production pottery to academia, and finally back to full-time studio work in the Ozark National Forest. Throughout this long and accomplished journey, a consistent thread has remained central to his artistic identity: wood firing. For Driver, the process of shaping clay and transforming it through fire represents both craft and discovery, a continuous dialogue between artist, material, and nature.
Education and Early Formation
Driver’s educational background laid a solid foundation for his career as both a maker and a thinker. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Constructive Design from Florida State University in 1973. This blend of psychological insight and design principles helped him approach pottery not only as a technical pursuit but also as an expression of balance and intention.
He continued his artistic training at the Penland School in North Carolina, where he attended several times between 1974 and 1988. There, he studied as a scholarship student, studio assistant, and metals student, gaining exposure to a wide range of studio practices. In 1988, Driver completed his Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics from the University of Georgia, refining both his conceptual understanding and his technical skill in clay.
Apprenticeships and Professional Training
The foundation of Driver’s craftsmanship was further strengthened through a series of apprenticeships with notable potters in both the United States and England. From 1973 to 1976, he worked for John and Glen LaRowe at Mark of the Potter in Clarkesville, Georgia, where he developed an appreciation for the discipline of daily studio work and the rhythm of production pottery.
In 1975, Driver traveled to England to study under two respected figures in the studio pottery tradition Peter Bruce Dick at Coxwold Pottery in York, and Michael Leach at Yelland Pottery in Devon. These experiences immersed him in the British approach to pottery, where simplicity, form, and craftsmanship are guided by respect for natural materials and process. The lessons learned during this period would remain vital throughout his career.
From Production Potter to Art Professor
Driver began his professional career as a production potter, establishing Mulberry Creek Pottery in Johnson County, Arkansas, in 1977. For nearly two decades, he focused on producing functional ceramic vessels that balanced practicality with artistic precision. These years honed his understanding of proportion, glaze behavior, and kiln dynamics, all of which became the technical backbone of his later work.
In 1993, after twenty years of working as a production potter, Driver transitioned into academia, taking on the dual role of university art professor and studio potter. This period allowed him to explore ceramics from both an educational and creative perspective. His approach to teaching emphasized the importance of process, patience, and the element of chance values drawn directly from his own studio experience.
Returning to the Ozarks
In 2013, Driver returned to full-time studio work, resuming his practice at his home and studio in the Ozark National Forest. This return to a natural setting marked a meaningful new chapter in his career. The quiet environment of the forest and the proximity to the elements resonated deeply with his long-standing connection to clay and wood firing.
His current studio, Mulberry Creek Pottery in Yale, Arkansas, continues to be a place where craftsmanship and experimentation meet. The physical presence of the Ozarks, their natural textures, colors, and wildlife, plays an essential role in shaping the aesthetic of his recent work.
The Practice of Wood Firing
Wood firing has been a defining aspect of Stephen Driver’s artistic process since 1985. Over the years, he has explored a range of wood-fired kiln designs and techniques throughout the Ozarks. This process, both physically demanding and artistically unpredictable, requires the potter to maintain a constant relationship with the fire.
During a wood firing, the flames and ash interact directly with the clay surface, creating unique textures and natural glaze effects that cannot be replicated by other firing methods. For Driver, each firing becomes a distinct collaboration between artist, material, and the natural elements of flame and air. The marks left by the process, ash deposits, color variations, and traces of movement give each piece an unrepeatable character.
Integrating Sculpture and Function
Driver’s current body of work reflects his ongoing exploration of how sculpture and function can coexist within a single form. His covered jar serves as a strong example of this integration. The piece combines the refinement of functional pottery with the expressive quality of sculpture.
By incorporating sculpted animal figures onto the surface of functional vessels, Driver blurs the boundary between utility and artistic expression. The animals, often inspired by the wildlife of the Ozark National Forest, symbolize the connection between human creativity and the natural world. Each form becomes a narrative, a meeting point between purpose and imagination.
Continuing the Legacy
Across decades of practice, Driver has maintained studios in several locations, including Halsey-Driver Studio in Owensboro, Kentucky (2004–2008) and his current Mulberry Creek Pottery in Yale, Arkansas (2009–present). Regardless of place or time, his dedication to clay and fire has remained steadfast.
His pottery is not only about creating functional forms but also about exploring the transition from raw earth to finished art through the alchemy of the kiln. Each vessel tells a story of process, patience, and the intimate connection between artist and material.
A Life Shaped by Craft and Nature
After more than fifty years of shaping clay, Stephen Driver continues to find new meaning in the simple act of making. His art embodies endurance, humility, and curiosity. Rooted in tradition but open to evolution, his wood-fired pottery and ceramic sculptures serve as lasting testaments to the dialogue between artist and nature.
In every piece, from functional jar to sculptural form, one finds evidence of time, touch, and transformation, the essence of a life dedicated to clay, fire, and the beauty that emerges when the two come together under the hands of a master craftsman.
