Stephen Bunyard Artist

LHUCA Clay Workshop - Lubbock Texas June 2025

They say you can never go home, but I’d argue you can visit. I grew up in Lubbock Texas and still visit on a regular basis. After a fun time at the Llano Estacado Clay Guild Wine and Clay event at the Llano Estacado Winery in Lubbock Texas in March, I received an invitation to come back to the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts and lead a workshop. First of all, I have to thank Dexter Woods for extending the invitation and being such a great host. The Helen DeVitt Clay studio is a very well-appointed clay studio with plenty of room for hand building and wheel throwing. They have multiple kilns for wood, soda, gas, and electric firing. It was a fun space to give my workshop. The first day we focused on making sake vessels, throwing off the hump, trimming, a slide show of recent work, and finally a large 2-part vase. The second day was more trimming of bottles on a chuck, trimming the sake cups, a lot of discussion about the nature of working in porcelain, a demo of my illustration technique and where I have learned and who has mentored me along the way. We also had a little slide show of some of the pottery towns in Japan I visited last year. In short, we had a great time.
One of the more fun parts for me was that these unwitting victims did not know the range of my bad pottery jokes since I am new to all of them. Let the groans begin. I lured them in with a elaborate story of how Johnny Cash was a potter before he became a famous musician…(the bait is in the water…) and once the beginning of belief was in their eyes, I revealed that the song Burning Ring of Fire was about firing kilns (really?..the hook is set) and then giving then a couple of seconds before I flash my sly smile that says I am fabricating it all (and I reel them in). After that, I gave them more pottery “facts”, but they now knew it was for entertainment purposes only. They were a fun group.
I absolutely love sharing the knowledge I have because so many potters have been generous with me. Paying it forward in what is a really rewarding art form. I look forward to returning to my hometown with more people who did not see Johnny Depp’s lesser known movie about potters working on the island of Tortuga…you know the one…Potters of the Caribbean…

Stephen Bunyard Artist Bio
Stephen Glenn Bunyard was born to be creative. His father is an Electrical Engineer who participated in pioneering work in the field of micro electronics beginning in the 60’s and a general wizard at doing "stuff" from working on hot rods to executing his wife's creative notions. His mother returned to University in her late 30s and earned a Bachelors Degree in Home Economics – Fashion Design. It was during the time of his mother’s work toward her degree that Stephen was introduced to ceramics. Too young to be left to his own designs, Stephen accompanied his Mom to the ceramics lab on many weekends during a ceramics course taught by Vern Funk. While this exposure did not result in any technical knowledge on his part, the enthusiasm for the medium was established. All of these experiences coupled with a very active imagination, love of learning and love of drawing things resulted in a tremendous creative output as a musician, cartoonist, and artist in his young life

Fast forward a few years and Stephen graduated from Texas Tech University School of Architecture and moved to Phoenix Arizona to pursue his career as an Architect. The training as an architect reinforced Stephen’s love for art and creativity. Working full time as an Architect, Stephen made time for his pastime as an artist creating images and gained some recognition as a photographer. Stephen’s Mom decided the time was right to gift her son with her wheel, a kiln, and her ceramics library. Stephen began working in clay, dividing his artistic time with photography. The old love was rekindled under the guidance of the resident artists at Phoenix Center for the Arts, first Seth Rainville, then Don Ridley.

Stephen has enjoyed success as a ceramic artist, participating in gallery shows at Phoenix Center for the Arts, The Shemer Art Museum, National Council on the Education for Ceramic Arts (NCECA) National Convention, The Bead Museum in Glendale, Chandler Center for the Arts, The Night Gallery, Art One Gallery and at the Peoria City Hall Art Gallery. Stephen has also been a guest artist on the Arizona State University Ceramic Research Center’s Studio tour since 2012.

Stephen’s Photography resume includes exhibitions at Art by Architects (Best of Show and three Jury Awards), Phoenix Center for the Arts and inclusion in the Photography magazines Best Photographers 1991.

Stephen's passions extend to other creative fields as well. Stephen is a musician and currently plays in the band, Safety Patrol. Safety Patrol is the brainchild of Stephen's longtime friend Don Cross, who made it his mission to bring safety messages to K-6th graders through music. Stephen plays the trumpet, bass, harmonica, tamborine, a mean cowbell (we all need more!) as well as lead and backing vocals. He even writes the occasional song for the group. Stephen's other loves are writing, glass blowing, working on his classic 1967 Mustang, and being a husband and father.

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