Heath Ceramics

December 11th, 2009 at 04:46pm JenScan

When we visited San Francisco to do research for this exhibition, a visit to the Heath Ceramics factory in Sausalito was a must. Heath Ceramics was represented with a stoneware saucepot in Craftsmanship in a Changing World, the Museum of Art and Design’s  inaugural show (at the time it was called the Museum of Contemporary Crafts).

Edith Heath founded Heath Ceramics in the mid-40s, a period in which hand-made goods in modern designs became popular accents in contemporary homes. Not only did Edith provide consumers with beautiful tableware and tiles, with characteristic smooth forms and softly irregular glazes, but she provided a workplace for local artisans. Jeweler Merry Renk, who spent the day with us in San Francisco, told us she met her husband Earle Curtis at Heath Ceramics – at a Halloween party on the barge where the Heaths lived! Here is a link to the interview where she talks about it (part of the amazing resources of the Smithsonian Archives of American Art).

It was nice to see that the current owners Robin Petravic and Catherine Bailey have revitalized the company, with an attitude that seems very much in keeping with the original philosophies of Edith Heath. You can read a summary and download an audio podcast of a talk that Robin gave at the last American Craft Council Conference here  to hear more about it.

Entry Filed under: crafting modernism,curators