Warren MacKenzie
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Warren MacKenzie (February 16, 1924 - ) is one of the pre-eminent craft potters in North America.
MacKenzie studied with Bernard Leach from 1949 to 1952. His simple, wheel-thrown functional pottery is heavily influenced by the oriental aesthetic of Leach and Shoji Hamada. MacKenzie has described his goal as the making of "everyday" pots. Accordingly, although his pots are found in major museums and command high prices among collectors, MacKenzie has always kept his prices low and no longer signs his work. For a period during the 1970s, he also did not sign his work. Most of his output is produced in stoneware, although he produced pieces in porcelain at times in the past.
MacKenzie is well known as a teacher. Since 1952 he has taught at the University of Minnesota, where he is a professor emeritus. His students have included Randy Johnston, Jeff Oestrich and Michael Simon.
He still works today at the age of 82, despite having silicosis. He lives outside of Stillwater, Minnesota.
