Stephen Rolfe “Steve” Powell

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Stephen Rolfe “Steve” Powell

Birth
Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, USA
Death
16 Mar 2019 (aged 67)
Boyle County, Kentucky, USA
Burial
Burial Details Unknown Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Stephen R. Powell, 67, of Danville, passed away Saturday, March 16, 2019. He is survived by his loving wife, Shelly.
Stephen Rolfe Powell was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1951. Steve was a world-renowned glass artist and as the H.W. Stodghill Jr. and Adele H. Stodghill Professor of Art at Centre. He achieved his Bachelor of Arts in Painting and Ceramics at Centre College, Powell went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics at Louisiana State University
Steve attended Centre College in Danville, Boyle County, Kentucky. Steve was an outstanding Athelete all four years at Centre as well as being competitive in all sports he participated in. Stephen Powell class of 1974 was a four-year tennis standout for the Colonels, and was the #1 ranked player on the team his final three seasons. Not only was he the top player on those three teams, but he was selected as team captain all three years, as well. In his senior season of 1974, Steve led Centre to its first-ever CAC tennis team championship.
Due to his outstanding athletic performance he was inducted into the "Centre College Athletic Hall of Fame". This is something he not only deserved but he earned through all his hard work.
Steve achieved his Bachelor of Arts in Painting and Ceramics at Centre College, but did not stop there he went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics at Louisiana State University.
Stephen Powell exhibits his work nationally and internationally and has participated in workshops, demonstrations, and lectures across the globe. He has worked in Russia, Ukraine, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan and demonstrated at multiple Glass Art Society Conferences, as well as the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. One of the highlights of his travels was an exhibition of his work at Venezia Aperto Vetro in the Palazzo Ducale in Venice, Italy. This honor was punctuated by the fact that he was one of only eight American artists invited.
I must say it was simply amazing to watch this man work. He is a true artist in anything he is involved in, whether it be athletic or art. And he was a wonderful person to know. He was an extraordinary person, he loved his family, his work, and Centre College. I had the privileged or knowing this man by working in the Department of Public Safety at Centre College, so he is one of the people you get to know, because he always wanted to know if anything and I mean anything happened in the Jones Visual Arts Building, which is where he made his art and taught it to others.
Quote from the President of Centre College John Roush "This is a terrible shock that I know will take all of us much time to process. Stephen was, in a word, one of Centre's luminaries. His talents were of remarkable proportions, appreciated not only here in Danville and at Centre College but also throughout every corner of the world. He was an outstanding teacher, and all of us who knew him counted our friendship with him as a gift."
Stephen Rolfe Powell was the winner of the Artist Award, 2010 Kentucky Governor's Awards in the Arts.
He was presented with the Distinguished Educator award from the James Renwick Alliance in Washington, D.C. A 2007 Louisville exhibit included work by 14 artists who apprenticed with him.
Powell was a recipient of Kentucky's "Teacher of the Year," honor and received the Acorn Award from the Kentucky Council on post-secondary Education.

Obit from Preston Pruitt Spurlin Funeral Home, 331 South Fourth Street,,Danville, KY 40422;
On March 16, 2019, Stephen Rolfe Powell left this world. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Steve's southern drawl will forever be heard delivering silliness and encouragement in the ears of all who knew him.
Steve was the loving husband of Shelly, the indefatigable father of Piper and Oliver, and the devoted brother of Pam. He was a family member, too, to his many friends.
Steve's beloved friends are necessarily energetic, because being Steve's friend kept one on the move. His weekly tennis matches, physical sculpting of hot molten glass, and insatiable drive to grow and build on his farm, were all activities engaged in with people he cared for deeply. While there is no award for growing okra, Steve has a long list of awards and accomplishments reflecting his other passions and activities.
Steve was a truly inspirational professor and leader among artists from Centre College, where he: founded the glass program, built two amazing hot working studios, worked with commercial funders and international glass experts, and created beauty every day, since 1983. He was the mentor and teacher of dozens of artists around the world, who carry on teaching, sculpting, blowing glass, and bringing various objects and ideas to life through dynamic and dedicated craft.
Steve was recognized as an amazing teacher, officially, many times, and unofficially, thousands of times. He was named Kentucky Teacher of the Year in 1999 and 2000, and given the Acorn Award by the Kentucky Council on Post-secondary Education in 2004, and the Distinguished Educator award from the James Renwick Alliance in Washington, D.C.
Steve's artwork was regularly awarded accolades and was exhibited around the globe. Some of his more notable awards included: The Artist Award by the Governor's Award in Arts (2010) and The Sixth Annual Rude Osolnik Award for Kentucky's Most Accomplished Community Craftsperson in 2001. He was part of the 2002 Winter Olympics, where he exhibited his world-class glass sculpting methods, and, in 1998, he was featured at the Venezia Aperto Vetro in the city of glass, Venice, Italy.
Steve didn't stop at making gorgeous glass sculptures with fantastic names, though. He went on to co-produce a film, LINO TAGLIAPIETRA: GLASS MAESTRO, and maintained a rich and nurturing friendship with Lino between Danville and Murano, Italy. In 2005, he authored a book (STEPHEN ROLFE POWELL: GLASSMAKER) and it was granted the Award for Overall Excellence by The South Eastern Library Association in 2007.
Steve accomplished all of these things while maintaining his own humanity and showing kindness and joy. From working in a school and Prison Art program as a young graduate of Centre college, to launching his glass-focused career after completing his Masters in Fine Arts at Louisiana State University, he did it all with a smile, easy manner, and charm. Centre awarded him the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003, and named him to the Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. Indian Springs School named him the Outstanding Alumnus, in 2002.
While the world has lost a great light, his spirit and glow bless us still.
Close family and friends will be gathering for a private ceremony this week.
In lieu of flowers gifts may be made to the Stephen Rolfe Powell Memorial Fund at Centre College at 600 West Walnut Street, Danville KY 40422.
A Centre celebration of Stephen's life will be held in Danville in the coming months.
~~
Kentucky, U.S., Marriage Index, 1973-1999
Name Stephen R Powell
Gender Male
Race White
Age 43
Estimated Birth Year 1952
Marriage Date 10 Jun 1995
Marital Status Never married
Residence County Boyle
Residence County after Married Boyle
State Kentucky
Spouse Teresa M Webb
Spouse Age 30
Spouse Race White
Spouse Residence County Boyle
Volume Number 040
Certificate Number 19557
Marriage License County Boyle
Volume Year 1995
Stephen R. Powell, 67, of Danville, passed away Saturday, March 16, 2019. He is survived by his loving wife, Shelly.
Stephen Rolfe Powell was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1951. Steve was a world-renowned glass artist and as the H.W. Stodghill Jr. and Adele H. Stodghill Professor of Art at Centre. He achieved his Bachelor of Arts in Painting and Ceramics at Centre College, Powell went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics at Louisiana State University
Steve attended Centre College in Danville, Boyle County, Kentucky. Steve was an outstanding Athelete all four years at Centre as well as being competitive in all sports he participated in. Stephen Powell class of 1974 was a four-year tennis standout for the Colonels, and was the #1 ranked player on the team his final three seasons. Not only was he the top player on those three teams, but he was selected as team captain all three years, as well. In his senior season of 1974, Steve led Centre to its first-ever CAC tennis team championship.
Due to his outstanding athletic performance he was inducted into the "Centre College Athletic Hall of Fame". This is something he not only deserved but he earned through all his hard work.
Steve achieved his Bachelor of Arts in Painting and Ceramics at Centre College, but did not stop there he went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics at Louisiana State University.
Stephen Powell exhibits his work nationally and internationally and has participated in workshops, demonstrations, and lectures across the globe. He has worked in Russia, Ukraine, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan and demonstrated at multiple Glass Art Society Conferences, as well as the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. One of the highlights of his travels was an exhibition of his work at Venezia Aperto Vetro in the Palazzo Ducale in Venice, Italy. This honor was punctuated by the fact that he was one of only eight American artists invited.
I must say it was simply amazing to watch this man work. He is a true artist in anything he is involved in, whether it be athletic or art. And he was a wonderful person to know. He was an extraordinary person, he loved his family, his work, and Centre College. I had the privileged or knowing this man by working in the Department of Public Safety at Centre College, so he is one of the people you get to know, because he always wanted to know if anything and I mean anything happened in the Jones Visual Arts Building, which is where he made his art and taught it to others.
Quote from the President of Centre College John Roush "This is a terrible shock that I know will take all of us much time to process. Stephen was, in a word, one of Centre's luminaries. His talents were of remarkable proportions, appreciated not only here in Danville and at Centre College but also throughout every corner of the world. He was an outstanding teacher, and all of us who knew him counted our friendship with him as a gift."
Stephen Rolfe Powell was the winner of the Artist Award, 2010 Kentucky Governor's Awards in the Arts.
He was presented with the Distinguished Educator award from the James Renwick Alliance in Washington, D.C. A 2007 Louisville exhibit included work by 14 artists who apprenticed with him.
Powell was a recipient of Kentucky's "Teacher of the Year," honor and received the Acorn Award from the Kentucky Council on post-secondary Education.

Obit from Preston Pruitt Spurlin Funeral Home, 331 South Fourth Street,,Danville, KY 40422;
On March 16, 2019, Stephen Rolfe Powell left this world. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Steve's southern drawl will forever be heard delivering silliness and encouragement in the ears of all who knew him.
Steve was the loving husband of Shelly, the indefatigable father of Piper and Oliver, and the devoted brother of Pam. He was a family member, too, to his many friends.
Steve's beloved friends are necessarily energetic, because being Steve's friend kept one on the move. His weekly tennis matches, physical sculpting of hot molten glass, and insatiable drive to grow and build on his farm, were all activities engaged in with people he cared for deeply. While there is no award for growing okra, Steve has a long list of awards and accomplishments reflecting his other passions and activities.
Steve was a truly inspirational professor and leader among artists from Centre College, where he: founded the glass program, built two amazing hot working studios, worked with commercial funders and international glass experts, and created beauty every day, since 1983. He was the mentor and teacher of dozens of artists around the world, who carry on teaching, sculpting, blowing glass, and bringing various objects and ideas to life through dynamic and dedicated craft.
Steve was recognized as an amazing teacher, officially, many times, and unofficially, thousands of times. He was named Kentucky Teacher of the Year in 1999 and 2000, and given the Acorn Award by the Kentucky Council on Post-secondary Education in 2004, and the Distinguished Educator award from the James Renwick Alliance in Washington, D.C.
Steve's artwork was regularly awarded accolades and was exhibited around the globe. Some of his more notable awards included: The Artist Award by the Governor's Award in Arts (2010) and The Sixth Annual Rude Osolnik Award for Kentucky's Most Accomplished Community Craftsperson in 2001. He was part of the 2002 Winter Olympics, where he exhibited his world-class glass sculpting methods, and, in 1998, he was featured at the Venezia Aperto Vetro in the city of glass, Venice, Italy.
Steve didn't stop at making gorgeous glass sculptures with fantastic names, though. He went on to co-produce a film, LINO TAGLIAPIETRA: GLASS MAESTRO, and maintained a rich and nurturing friendship with Lino between Danville and Murano, Italy. In 2005, he authored a book (STEPHEN ROLFE POWELL: GLASSMAKER) and it was granted the Award for Overall Excellence by The South Eastern Library Association in 2007.
Steve accomplished all of these things while maintaining his own humanity and showing kindness and joy. From working in a school and Prison Art program as a young graduate of Centre college, to launching his glass-focused career after completing his Masters in Fine Arts at Louisiana State University, he did it all with a smile, easy manner, and charm. Centre awarded him the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003, and named him to the Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. Indian Springs School named him the Outstanding Alumnus, in 2002.
While the world has lost a great light, his spirit and glow bless us still.
Close family and friends will be gathering for a private ceremony this week.
In lieu of flowers gifts may be made to the Stephen Rolfe Powell Memorial Fund at Centre College at 600 West Walnut Street, Danville KY 40422.
A Centre celebration of Stephen's life will be held in Danville in the coming months.
~~
Kentucky, U.S., Marriage Index, 1973-1999
Name Stephen R Powell
Gender Male
Race White
Age 43
Estimated Birth Year 1952
Marriage Date 10 Jun 1995
Marital Status Never married
Residence County Boyle
Residence County after Married Boyle
State Kentucky
Spouse Teresa M Webb
Spouse Age 30
Spouse Race White
Spouse Residence County Boyle
Volume Number 040
Certificate Number 19557
Marriage License County Boyle
Volume Year 1995


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