Incorporated in the display were 37 ceramic works, as well as one of Ratcliff鈥檚 undergraduate paintings.
When asked about his work, Ratcliff replied that it all 鈥淕ot started when I just happened to pass by the ceramics room as an undergraduate in college and saw the instructor giving a demonstration."
"It was the first time I had ever seen someone using the potter鈥檚 wheel. I was probably a junior at the time and painting was then my concentration, but I ended up borrowing some clay from a friend and tried out the wheel myself.鈥
From there, Ratcliff鈥檚 talent blossomed and he went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science in ceramics from Greenville College in Illinois and then a Master of Fine Arts in ceramics from East Texas State University.
Ratcliff works primarily in stoneware with a focus on functional pieces, or functional pieces with sculptural
elements. He also likes to do work in Raku pottery.
鈥淢y inspiration can be anything I see or think about in the process of working,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 necessarily look at a lot of other ceramists鈥 work. I tend to be more introspective and introverted in terms of ideas and styles.鈥
Ratcliff has taught at 四色AV for over 37 years.
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