Steven Portigal was born in Los Angeles to a doctor father and homemaker mother. As a math/science major in high school, he chose to learn how to take photographs through a microscope, for a biology class project.

He eventually developed an interest in photography rather than a microscope or biological specimens, and chose to major in photography when he started as a freshman at California State University, Northridge in 1970.

One day in 1971 he walked by the ceramics lab and decided to take a class the following semester. He grew disillusioned with the direction in which he was going with photography - spending the rest of his life in a darkroom - and also found that he was better suited to three-dimensions. He quickly became fascinated by the material, the process, and possibilities of working in ceramics. In time, ceramics became the medium through which he was best able to express his ideas.

While studying ceramics, he was hired as a full-time ceramics lab technician in 1975, at Northridge, which enabled him to gain great hands-on training.

In 1979, he received his master of fine arts degree from UCLA, and he began teaching part-time at East Los Angeles College but the job was unstable due to the change to state financing of public schools after the 1978 passage of Prop. 13.

From 1980 to 1990 he made his living as a studio potter and created one-of-a-kind dinnerware and other functional ware while teaching part-time at Glendale, Santa Monica, and Cerritos College until he finally obtained a full-time position at Cerritos College in 1991.

"Being able to teach ceramics full-time is such a privilege," says Portigal. And he takes it very seriously. "When you have students who are very interested, motivated, and hungry for knowledge and skills in ceramics, it's a joy to teach, but at the same time it's an extremely challenging mission."

But his resume proves that he goes above and beyond the mission. He received the Outstanding Faculty of the Year award in 1994, and he received numerous Advisor of the Year awards as the advisor to the Art Club.

Yet he still finds time to create his art work. Portigal's work has been featured in a variety of galleries, including a successful one-person exhibit featuring a series of ceramic and mixed media sculptures earlier this year. He admits that it's not easy to switch gears from teaching during the week to creating on the weekends but wearing two hats gives reciprocal benefits.

"Teaching three-dimensional design for the past twenty years has had a powerful effect on the way that I view and make art," says Portigal. "I have a much greater appreciation for the formal aspects of art making and am guided in my own artistic practice by this appreciation."

During his sabbatical leave in 2008, he visited Japan to experience various types of Japanese art and pottery. It not only enhanced his knowledge and skills in teaching, but also gave him artistic inspiration.

Being an educator for over the three decades he has worked at various schools - from a high school for privileged children to community colleges - and what he loves about Cerritos College is its diverse student population. Working with students from different backgrounds - culturally and economically - is thrillingly stimulating.

Above all, making a difference in someone's life gives him a sense of accomplishment. For the master of alchemy, helping raw materials become diamonds is truly gratifying.