Warren MacKenzie (b. 1924) is a ceramic artist working in Stillwater, Minnesota. He creates simple utilitarian pots. MacKenzie's traditional, wheel-thrown stoneware vessels are simply glazed and reduction-fired, following the oriental aesthetic.
His wife, Alix, decorated his pots until her passing in 1962. He began his career at the Art Institute of Chicago, intending to pursue painting as his career path. But while there he stumbled upon ceramics, specifically the celebrated work of master ceramist, Bernard Leach. From 1949-1952, he studied under Bernard Leach and has also been influenced by Japanese and Korean folk pottery traditions. MacKenzie taught at the University of Minnesota where he is Professor Emeritus. He influenced many contemporary potters including Jeff Oestreich, Randy Johnston, and Michael Simon, who have passed the craft along to others.
