Leza McVey1946Leza McVey is the most famousAmerican ceramicist you have never heard of.Why? Lots of reasons,but I'll let you discover that on your own,since as loyal MB readers know,I am big on pictures,and short on words.What I do know is that she shouldn't be so obscure,and this is my tiny part to help with that.I LOVE her work.Her forms are organic and surreal,and way ahead of their time.Her ties to Maija Grotell and Toshiko Takaezuare there to be seen,but she was her own woman,and produced some of the most strikingceramic vessels of the 20th century.Word.
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 34"h. 16"1951Everson Museum of Art(I am including the size of the pieces,because most of Leza's piece werevery large for the era.)
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 33"h. 10 3/8"1951Everson Museum of Art
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 11"("Pregnant Ghost")h. 30 1/2"c. 1949Private collection
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 6-1"h. 16 7/8"1956Cleveland Museum of Art
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 8-5"h. 29 1/2"1951Cleveland Museum of Art
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 5-18"h. 24 7/8"1965Private collection
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 7-24"h. 19 1/2"1967Private collection
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 7-01"h. 24"1967(Reglazed in 1978)Private collection
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form"h. 27"c. 1957Private collection(Where have I seen this before....)
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 75-01"h. 22"1975Private collection
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 3"("Pottle")h. 12 5/8"1947-48(Reglazed in 1953)Cleveland Museum of Art
Leza Marie Sullivanc. 1931Hottie Alert!
Leza McVeyPage from her "Ceramic Daybook"1947Collection of the Archives of American Art,Smithsonian Institution
Leza McVey"Bowl"h. 4 1/2"1947Private collection(Notice this is bowl from the drawing above.)
Leza McVey modeling a "Ceramic Form"in her Cranbrook studio.c. 1950-51
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 16"h. 16"c. 1950sWhereabouts unknown(I'm gonna find it!)
Leza McVey"Ceramic Forms (from left to right) No. 3-5, 3-7, C-1, 3-1"Tallest 42"1952-53
Leza McVey"Ceramic Forms" submitted to the Cleveland"May Show"1954"Ceramic Forms (from left to right) No. 3-7, 3, 19, 3-9, 28"Tallest 31"1951-52
Leza McVey"Ceramic Forms" submitted to the Cleveland"May Show"1956"Ceramic Forms (from left to right) No. 6-2, 6-7, 6-9, 6-1, 3-4"Tallest 26"1953-56
Announcement for Leza McVey'sceramic class at theAkron Art Institute.1953
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 20"h. 27 1/2"1950Smithsonian Institution,National Museum of American History
Leza McVey at her retrospective exhibition atthe Cleveland Institute of Art.1965
Leza McVeyInstallation view of her retrospective exhibition atthe Cleveland Institute of Art.1965(Design John Paul Miller)
Leza McVeyInstallation view of her retrospective exhibition atthe Cleveland Institute of Art.1965(Design John Paul Miller)
Leza McVeyInstallation view of her retrospective exhibition atthe Cleveland Institute of Art.1965(Design John Paul Miller)
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 21"h. 30 1/2"c. 1950Private collection
Leza McVey in her studio.Clevelandc. 1980
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 19"h. 20 1/2"c. 1949Private collection(This looks familiar too....)
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 24"h. 29 1/4"1950Bruno Bischofberger CollectionZurich
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 28"h. 31"1951Syracuse University,University Art Collection
Leza McVey"Ceramic Form No. 31"h. 16 3/4"1951Private collection
Leza McVey at her retrospective exhibition atthe Cleveland Institute of Art.1965All images from:"The Ceramic Forms of Leza McVey"by Martin EidelbergBuy your copy HERE
More Leza sightings on MONDOBLOGOHEREHEREandHERE