Ceramics, T.R. describes, is like a trap that you fall into. “You make one thing and then you think, well, if I would just do it a little differently. If the glaze would have behaved a little differently, then it would be better and so you do another one. You keep going and it catches you.”
Ralph Steiner III, more commonly known as “T.R.” is Bluffton University’s fairly new ceramic professor. Like many students here who take a ceramics class to fulfill their fine arts credit, T.R.’s passion for ceramics began in the same way at Findlay College. Ceramics captured his imagination and he ended up adding an art major alongside his biology major. He also did not realize at the time that the professor there, Gregg Luginbuhl, would be a lifelong …show more content…
journey with ceramics has not been ordinary. Right after graduating he opened his own studio and did pottery for 20 years alongside his work on the family farm. However, the pottery got stale. When you are a studio potter and you have to sell pots, sometimes you tend to make pots for the market. Instead of being true to the craft, T.R. was just focused on cranking the pieces out to sell. He also wanted to find more stable employment, so he had sold the studio and equipment.
Although T.R. thought he had given pottery up he heard a rumor that Gregg was going to retire and began to think that since he was in one of Gregg’s first classes, he wanted to be in one of his last classes. T.R. signed up for “summer mud” with Gregg and his love of pottery was rekindled. Gregg ended up recommending T.R. for the ceramic position at Bluffton University before passing away. T.R. feels humbled to be in the lineage of so many great ceramic professors at Bluffton.
T.R.’s favorite aspect of teaching ceramics is the interaction with students. “Being with students, especially young students that are just figuring things out it’s really unique and special.” He mentions how great it is to see the “ah ha” moment for beginners after a time of
Ralph Steiner III, more commonly known as “T.R.” is Bluffton University’s fairly new ceramic professor. Like many students here who take a ceramics class to fulfill their fine arts credit, T.R.’s passion for ceramics began in the same way at Findlay College. Ceramics captured his imagination and he ended up adding an art major alongside his biology major. He also did not realize at the time that the professor there, Gregg Luginbuhl, would be a lifelong …show more content…
journey with ceramics has not been ordinary. Right after graduating he opened his own studio and did pottery for 20 years alongside his work on the family farm. However, the pottery got stale. When you are a studio potter and you have to sell pots, sometimes you tend to make pots for the market. Instead of being true to the craft, T.R. was just focused on cranking the pieces out to sell. He also wanted to find more stable employment, so he had sold the studio and equipment.
Although T.R. thought he had given pottery up he heard a rumor that Gregg was going to retire and began to think that since he was in one of Gregg’s first classes, he wanted to be in one of his last classes. T.R. signed up for “summer mud” with Gregg and his love of pottery was rekindled. Gregg ended up recommending T.R. for the ceramic position at Bluffton University before passing away. T.R. feels humbled to be in the lineage of so many great ceramic professors at Bluffton.
T.R.’s favorite aspect of teaching ceramics is the interaction with students. “Being with students, especially young students that are just figuring things out it’s really unique and special.” He mentions how great it is to see the “ah ha” moment for beginners after a time of