Stephen "Steve" Rolfe Powell (1951–2019) was an American

glass artist Studio glass is the modern use of glass as an artistic medium to produce sculptures or three-dimensional artworks. The glass objects created are intended to make a sculptural or decorative statement. Though usage varies, the term is properly res ...

based at Centre College in Danville,

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

, who created elaborately colored three-foot glass vessels incorporating

murrine Murrine (singular: murrina) are colored patterns or images made in a glass cane that are revealed when the cane is cut into thin cross-sections. Murrine can be made in infinite designs from simple circular or square patterns to complex detailed ...

Early life and education

Powell was born November 26, 1951 in

Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fr ...

. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in painting and ceramics at Centre College, Powell went on to earn a

Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admini ...

in ceramics at

Louisiana State University Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 nea ...

Career

Powell taught at Indian Springs School, a private 8-12 school in Shelby County, Alabama, from 1976-1980. While at Louisiana State University, between 1980 and 1983, Powell had his first experience in glass blowing. Powell was hired by Centre College in 1983 to teach ceramics and sculpture. By 1985, thanks in part to

Corning Glass Corning Incorporated is an American multinational technology company that specializes in specialty glass, ceramics, and related materials and technologies including advanced optics, primarily for industrial and scientific applications. The co ...

in Harrodsburg, Philips Lighting in Danville, and Corhart in Louisville, he had built a glass studio and founded Centre's glass program. In 1997, in

Danville, Kentucky Danville is a home rule-class city in Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 17,236 at the 2020 Census. Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes ...

, Powell designed and completed a new, state-of-the-art glass studio, which Centre College opened as part of their new Visual Arts Center in January 1998. Powell was honored with Kentucky's Teacher of the Year award in 1999 and 2000. In 2004 he was presented with the Acorn Award by the Kentucky Council on Post-secondary Education. Also in 2004, Powell and Centre College hosted Lino Tagliapietra to grant him the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Powell also co-produced "Lino Tagliapietra: Glass Maestro".

Death

Powell died on March 16, 2019 in Boyle County, Kentucky.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Powell, Stephen Centre College alumni American glass artists Louisiana State University alumni Artists from Birmingham, Alabama People from Danville, Kentucky 1951 births 2019 deaths