Born in 1926 in Butte, Montana, Rudy Autio was at the forefront of the contemporary ceramics movement; his ceramic vessels - with painterly surfaces and imagery that draws from mythological themes - became iconic for their striking appearance and technical mastery. Over his career, he also executed numerous architectural commissions, mainly ceramic relief and tile murals. He attended Montana State College, Bozeman (BS, 1950) and Washington State University, Pullman (MFA, 1952). With Peter Voulkos, he was the founding resident artist at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana (1952-57). Autio taught ceramics and sculpture at the University of Montana, Missoula (1957-85), where he influenced generations of ceramic artists and retired as a professor emeritus. His talents were recognized with numerous honors including: the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation award in crafts; a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship; and the Montana Governor’s Award (first recipient). He was also named outstanding visual artist by the state of Montana. Rudy Autio received the American Craft Council’s Gold Medal in 1999. He died in 2007.