Building Bridges
BY Mija Riedel
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Laurie Frankel
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Laurie Frankel
Heath Ceramics, founded in 1944, grew into an unconventional amalgam of craft, design and manufacturing, and has gone on to become one of the most celebrated, slighted and generally misunderstood workshops to emerge from California’s studio pottery movement. Here, photographer Laurie Frankel shows us stand-out work from the past half-century while in print Mija Riedel looks at what makes the company tick.
[1/10] A hand-thrown cup by Edith Heath from the 1940s, left, rests comfortably next to a hand-worked, experimental, jigger cup from the 1960s.
[2/10] Counterclock-wise from top left: Pouring bowl, current production, design 1940s; salt shaker, current production, design 40s; Roy McMakin vase, design 90s; creamer, current production, design 80s; small teapot, current production, design 40s; studio mug, current production, design 40s; tea cup without handle, design 40s.
[3/10] Vintage casseroles from the 50s, no longer in production.
[4/10] A mix of current production field tiles and colors sit side-by-side with some of Heath’s current production oval tiles. The turquoise tile (center) is an experimental design from 1960.
[5/10] Oval tiles from the Dimensional Collection. Design 50s.
[6/10] Hand-thrown and glazed vase by Edith Heath from the 50s.
[7/10] Edith Heath designed and made necklace from the 60s.
[8/10] Roy McMakin collection. Available only through the Matthew Marks Gallery New York.
[9/10] Edith Heath’s forays into clay ran the gamut, from tiles and vases to jewelry like this cast button necklace made with colored slip in the 70s.
[10/10] Current glaze and color experiments represent Heath’s ongoing search for a product that can carry the company into the future while respecting the past.
