Stephen Murray went to art school in Cleveland, Ohio, and discovered his passion for ceramics. Shortly thereafter, he moved to five acres at the base of Sauk Mountain in the Upper Skagit Valley of Washington State and opened Sauk Mountain Pottery. He decided to use the waste wood from the cedar shake mill industry in his community to fire his pottery and has been a wood-firing potter ever since. His work is known for its mountain drawings, mountain wildflowers and wildlife, as well as for the rich tones of the wood-fired glazes.
Stephen married Nicola Pearson, an actress from England, who enjoys selling his pottery and writing. After authoring many plays, Nicola began to hear stories about their pottery shop, and penned her first novel, How to Make a Pot in 14 Easy Lessons, which uses the process of making a piece of wood-fired pottery as a metaphor for love.
Together they raise a family and run a business in the house that Stephen desgned, built, and they finished together to live out their dreams of being a potter and a writer.
