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Richard Zane Smith
born 1955 Augusta, Georgia; lives Wyandotte, Oklahoma
Person TypeIndividual
born 1948 Detroit, Michigan; lives Santa Fe, New Mexico
BiographyRichard Zane Smith is a Wyandot potter who was born in an army hospital in Augusta, Georgia and grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He studied ceramics at the Kansas City Art Institute. In 1978, he taught art at a Navajo mission school. During this time, he was exposed to Ancient Pueblo pottery and the clays used in Southwest Native American pottery, which influenced his pottery style. Smith has been a full time potter since 1984. He is known for his corrugated pottery and pottery that resembles Wyandot basketry. Smith has been involved in Wyandot language and culture revitalization, including teaching Wyandot language and storytelling in the Wyandotte public schools.