Howard Pierce
Howard Pierce (April 22, 1912 – February 28, 1994)[1] was a California ceramic artist known for his stylized desert-animal figurines.
Pierce was born in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois, the Chicago Art Institute and Pomona College[2] before moving to Pasadena, California in 1934. In 1938 he began to work with William Manker at William Manker Ceramics. He established his own studio,[3] and married his wife Ellen (née Van Voorhis) [4] in 1941. [5] In circa 1941, he began work at the Douglas Aircraft Factory (Long Beach, California) as a production illustrator, a job he held for about three years. [6]
After the war, Pierce struck out on his own, working mainly in porcelain.[7] He moved from Claremont, California to Joshua Tree in 1968 [8] where he continued to make pottery on his twenty-acre rocky property until his death. [9]
His animal figurines exhibit a semi-abstract quality. He preferred abstract forms, but the public preferred realistic depictions, so he created this compromise.[10]
His home in Joshua Tree served as both a studio and public art space. He installed several large cement sculptures, including a 500-pound roadrunner, a 200-pound rabbit (named Pedro Conejo, Spanish for Peter Rabbit), a 150-pound raven named Edgar, and a 600-pound big horn sheep named Henry (formally Gertrude).[11]
References
- ↑ Dommel, Darlene (1998). Howard Pierce Porcelain (first ed.) Paducah, Kentucky: Collector Books. p. 16 ISBN 1-57432-019-X Search this book on
.
- ↑ Chipman, Jack (2002). Collector's Encyclopedia of California Pottery (second ed.) Paducah, Kentucky: Collector Books. p. 207 ISBN 1-57432-037-8 Search this book on .
- ↑ Dommel, Darlene (1998). Howard Pierce Porcelain (first ed.) Paducah, Kentucky: Collector Books. p. 6-7 ISBN 1-57432-019-X Search this book on .
- ↑ Cox, Susan. March-April 1992. “Howard Pierce Porcelains.” Collector’s Digest Magazine. p. 15.
- ↑ Wilson, Joan and Grubb, Charleen (1988) Hi-Desert Dreaming, vol. 3. Yucca Valley, California. p. 62. ASIN B000YAFLG4
- ↑ Wilson, Joan and Grubb, Charleen (1988) Hi-Desert Dreaming, vol. 3. Yucca Valley, California. p. 63. ASIN B000YAFLG4
- ↑ "Howard Pierce Ceramics". Howard Pierce Ceramics. Retrieved 7/20/2017.
- ↑ "Kovels Price Guide". Kovels.com. Retrieved 7/20/2017
- ↑ Mireles, Sonia Aguilar, 1/15/1989. “Looking at Life Through the eyes of Howard Pierce, Extraordinary Artist of the Hi-Desert.” Hi-Desert Star Sunday Magazine. p. 7
- ↑ Mireles, Sonia Aguilar, 1/15/1989. “Looking at Life Through the eyes of Howard Pierce, Extraordinary Artist of the Hi-Desert.” Hi-Desert Star Sunday Magazine. p. 8
- ↑ Riley, Joan (1981). Giant Animal Sculptures on Art Tour. The Sun (east valley) p. B3
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