“I never make the same piece twice,” Stearns said. “I think that is what helps me become a better artist.”

Late at night when the downtown square is quiet, Stearns said it’s not uncommon to find the only light illuminating the square other than the street lights, is the light from the window in his upstairs studio.

“People probably have wondered what is going on up here,” he said. “But, it’s just me working on my ceramics.”

The Nebraska native moved to Albia to do his artwork because it seemed like a nice quiet place, he said.

Stearns hopes to continue to do his ceramics, but is also seeking teaching positions at a university or college.

“I just want to share my knowledge with others,” he said.

Stearns’ pieces range in price from $100 to $2,100 — it all depends on how much detail and work is put into each item.

And every piece of artwork, he said, has a deeper meaning than just color, shape or size. Each one represents something different — “what people see and what people don’t see.”

“I put my own personal touch on every one of my pieces that I do,” Stearns said. “That is what makes them unique.

“Art goes beyond what you see. Otherwise, why would people do it?”

Scott Niles can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or via e-mail at sjniles@mchsi.com.

BREAKOUT BOX

On the Internet