Bill Strickland was a frustrated teenager in 1963. Growing up in the poor and crumbling Pittsburgh neighborhood of Manchester, life offered little hope to a young black kid. The community around him had lost its integrity and character, offering few inspirational role models and even fewer opportunities.

His epiphany came when he met the man who would become his mentor for nearly 20 years. Frank Ross was a ceramics instructor at Strickland’s high school and introduced him to the power of self-expression. Inspired by a man forming a masterpiece from a shape-less piece of wet clay, Strickland knew from that moment what he wanted to do with his life. Through Ross’ mentorship, he developed a love for ceramic art and jazz music. Ross exposed Strickland to architectural masterpieces such as Fallingwater and fine art museums such as The Carnegie. It was these experiences that became Strickland’s inspiration. After high school he enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh, graduating cum laude with a degree in American history and foreign relations in 1969.

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