“I am what time, circumstance, and history have made me, certainly, but I am also, much more than that. So are we all.” –James A. Baldwin The ceramicist, designer, and painter Margarete “Grete” Marks experienced many obstacles over the course of her career.[i] She not only faced great tragedy in her life, but her gender, […]
I am rather silent, resolute, and industrious. I respect and admire persons of probity and morality, moderation and temperance. I can use any tool or machinery with dexterity…[i] – Harry Bertoia, 1937 What comes to mind when you hear the name Harry Bertoia? [ii] Most people probably think of his wire chair designs for Knoll […]
…In creating a work of art, besides my personal experience, my concern is how it emotionally and intellectually engages the viewer…[i] – Albert Paley Albert Paley is internationally known for his monumental sculpture, elaborate gates, intricate furniture, and striking jewelry. His metalwork, which exudes great strength and energy, is skillfully executed utilizing a range of […]
This Schott & Genossen coffee machine was designed by the sculptor, printmaker, and Bauhaus master, Gerhard Marcks.[i] Schott & Genossen, which always “had a great fascination for the artistic avant-garde,” engaged numerous artists from the influential Bauhaus school in the early twentieth century.[ii] These interactions with designers such as Wilhelm Wagenfeld and László Moholy-Nagy were […]
“Objects must do us good and make us take notice and think about them.”[i] – Wilhem Wagenfeld, 1948 Wilhelm Wagenfeld is one of the most significant German product designers of the twentieth century. He is known for creating simple practical designs for the average household. Although Wagenfeld thoroughly embraced mass production, he did not believe […]
Hester Bateman (née Needham or Neden) was an English silversmith known for creating high-quality, lightweight home wares in the 18th century. Bateman’s Training Like many craftswomen in 18th century Europe, Bateman was trained in her craft as part of a family business, rather than through apprenticeship with a master craftsperson outside her family. Her husband, […]
This tea set, designed by Édouard-Marcel Sandoz, is one of many tableware sets designed by popular artists for the porcelain manufacturing company Theodore Haviland, Limoges. Haviland History Theodore Haviland, Limoges was one of several porcelain manufacturing and retail companies operated by the Haviland family in the 19th and 20th centuries. The company first called Haviland […]
I remember being captivated by Ron Meyers’ cups, platters, and covered jars as a child. The imagery that danced across the surface of his forms stirred my imagination. Initially his fish, rabbits, birds, and gestural human faces grabbed my attention, but then the forms themselves, alive and expressive, made an impact. Over the past fifty […]
Billie Jean Theide is an American artist known for creating sculptures and ornamental works in both metal and ceramics, which sometimes also incorporate found-objects or recycled materials. She is also an art professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a curator of many exhibitions, and served as the President of the Society of North […]
