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Kevin
Hicks is a self-described
"farm boy who likes to play with mud." Kevin grew up on a farm
in rural Deerfield, Wisconsin, just down the road from where the EFP
studio is now located. Funny thing is, as a boy, Kevin never liked mud
all that much. He left the farm and enrolled at Lakeland College in
Sheboygan, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Business and Art. He
focused on ceramics in his Art program.
After a brief stint as a sales rep for
a business machines firm, the lure of the clay became too strong, and
Kevin went to work at a production pottery in southern Wisconsin. Here
he was able to concentrate full-time on honing both his craft and his
business skills, holding various positions at the pottery, from potter
to production manager.
Several years of production
pottery began to take their toll on Kevin. Not being able to give his
creativity full rein was frustrating, and churning out hundreds of mugs
and crocks was not fulfilling. Neither was working for someone else.
After some serious consideration, Kevin decided to start his own
pottery. He quit his job and he and a partner founded Ephraim Faience
Pottery in the summer of 1996.
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Kevin
Hicks
"It
is a privilege to work in a positive, collaborative environment. The
integrity of our people is what makes our pottery special." |
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Why Arts and Crafts? The philosophy of
the movement fit with his personal philosophy, and the aesthetic
appealed to him. At first, Kevin didn't like the old Arts and Crafts
pottery he saw. But, as he experimented with new forms, "it began
to grow on me," he admits. Throwing the forms was less of a
challenge for him than figuring out how to replicate the sculpted
effects that the old potters had created. "No one knows exactly how
they did a lot of it," explains Kevin, "so I experimented and
created my own methods." Coming up with new techniques is one of
his favorite aspects of potting. "It's exciting when I start
thinking of different ways I can use them (the techniques)."
Kevin especially enjoys the design
process. Exploring texture, working with new techniques, and
collaborating with the other artists at EFP keeps his work strong and
fresh. "It's difficult sometimes to push into unknown
territory," observes Kevin, "but it helps keep my work from
becoming stagnant. Through experimentation, I find new ways to express
and interpret the natural world."
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