Hunter Smith

Having grown up in and around Starkville, Mississippi, Hunter began working in clay as a student at Berea College in Kentucky. There he worked as a student apprentice and intern in the ceramics department under the supervision of [then] Resident Potter Philip Wiggs. He would eventually go on to complete his bachelor of fine arts at Mississippi State University and undergo a pot-baccalaureate study at the University of Kansas.

Often drawn to labor that engages his hands, Hunter particularly appreciates the tactile nature of working with clay. His body of work focuses primarily on functional objects and vessel making because he enjoys engaging with historical craft traditions in addition to producing work that is intended to be handled and engaged with intimately. At present, he is particularly interested in wood-fire because of the often unpredictable changes the process enacts on his pieces — leaving behind evidence of the metamorphic drama of materials as they move in and out of states of flux. Loading and stoking kilns over a period of days necessitates collective labor and collective knowledge. It excites Hunter to create artwork that is ultimately impacted by the labor of many sets of hands.

Instagram: @smith_h32