Molten Magic/ West German Lava Pottery

Atwater Pottery

Left: Kreutz Keramik, Right: Nicolas Trembley's collection, Check out article on capitalnewyork.com

Left: Atwater Pottery, Right: Collaboration with Heath Ceramics

Left: Es Kermaik, Right: Collection Mousse Magazine

Yellow glazed examples

Photography: Le Grenier.com

Left: Nicolas Trembley's collection, Check out article on capitalnewyork.com, Right: Triangle bowl 

Photography: designsdelight.com

Left: Detail of glaze, Right: Examples by Jopeko Keramik

Left: Example, Right: Nicolas Trembley's collection, Check out article on capitalnewyork.com

Left: Common markings on bottom of vase, Right: Collection

Left: Jopeko Keramik, Right: Collection of German Lava Ceramics

Photography: fantascticsupermaket.com

I remember when I first started to collect ceramics I was drawn to The West German Pottery of the 1970’s, It seemed to be readily available and cheap in Thrift stores but as time has worn on, West German studio pottery has become extremely collectible with its distinctive patterns, textures and shapes. It was produced from the 1950s to 1970s when innovation and production was at its height. Garish coloring, bizarre patterning, contrasting forms is what gives Lava glazed pottery it’s distinct look, love it or hate it. Lately I have been seeing a resurgence of it or similar pottery, Particularly in San Francisco where I am currently.

Largely anonymously designed, Lava pottery was produced by many companies such as Scheurich Lora, Bay, Ceramano, Karlsruche, Hutschenreuther, Rosenthal, Jopeko, Roth, Spara, Ü-Keramik, They are often hard to totally I.D with many not clearly labeled.

With a contemporary twist and influenced by German Pottery, two notable names in California pottery: Heath Ceramics and potter Adam Silverman from Atwater Pottery have come together to design a collection, If you check out Atwater also you can see further examples of Adams work.

A great catalog/book by Mark Hill, titled Fat Lava is a great resource; you can find it at http://markhillpublishing.co.uk

Other sites worth checking out are www.retrofatlava.com and www.fat-lava.com.

I personally love its texture, passion and brashness to think outside the box. I love fine china also but the Lava series is at polar opposites and I feel opposites should always be embraced. 

Heath Factory Tour/ Sausalito

Left: Some pieces ready to be fired after glazed, Right: Outside the factory

Left: Inside the factory, Experimenting with glazes, Right: Outside the factory

Left: A collection of pieces in production, Right: Molds used to pour clay into to form shapes

Left: Tiles being experimented with in terms of glaze, Right: Racks of unfired bowls

Left: Racks of unfired pieces, Right: Looking into the Mold room

Left: An old tiled mural inside on the Factory floor, Right: New glazes in neon yellow

Left: Shelves of product ready to hit the stores, Right: Old tiles mounted on screen on Factory floor

Left: Detail of finished product, Right: Staff entrance 

Left: Screen outside made with original vintage tiles, Right: Heath bowl used as water bowl for Doggy visitors

Left: Outside of Factory, looking into store, Right: Detail of tiled wall outside factory made with Heath tiles

Left: Tiled partition screen , outside of Factory Entrance, Right: Cute pot of succulents

Left: Detail of product in the store, Right: New product available in the store

Left: Inside the store at the discounted area, Right: Detail of old tiled wall

Inside the store, Some of the glazes and colors shown on display

Do you remember those school excursions where you would go and visit a factory? I remember going to a biscuit (cookie) factory as a kid and watching in awe as all my favorite ones did the rounds on large conveyor belts. Last weekend I went with fellow Stylist Glen Proebstel to The Heath Factory in Sausalito, In San Francisco. We are both here for the same client working on a project with them and we both had Sunday afternoon off to venture via Ferry across the Bay from The Ferry Building in San Francisco to go on our very own field trip.

A couple of weeks ago I did a post on Heath Ceramics and Edith Heath, its founder. How excited was I to actually venture to where it all began. The original factory is pretty much in it’s original state, Sure they have updated a lot of the kilns and over time you get layers of modern appliances and fittings, but squint and you could almost be back in time.

We got there just in time to join the tour, for anybody planning to go, this is a must! You basically enter the factory with your guide who takes you around in a loop around the factory floor explaining the different techniques and different areas where the molds and clay are formed, where the pieces are glazed, the tile room where all the tiles are manufactured. A station where one of Heath’s employees gets to experiment with different techniques and glazes all day, also working on collaborations with other Artists. You get to see the stock room where all the finished product lives before it’s shipped out, a display case with Vintage Heath pieces and then finally the shop where is you leave empty handed it would be a miracle.  

Inspiring Icons/ Edith Heath

Left: As a younger woman, Edith Heath, Right: A collection of Heath Ceramics in the studio

Silhouettes of Heath Ceramics, Including Salt & Pepper, Vinegar Bottle, Vases, Plates and Pouring Dish

Ceramic tiles produced by Heath Ceramics, Including their House Numbers and Inside their showroom

Left/ Right: Ones of Heath's Outlet's Signage and Showroom, Right: Photography: Corey Walter

More examples of Heath Tiles

More Silhouettes including their mugs, espresso cup and saucer, a vase, teapot, plate and children's set 

Left: Vintage Heath Casserole dishes, Right: In the studio, Including bowls, pitchers and bowls

Left: Heath Pitcher, Right: Edith Heath in the Studio

Left: Atwater Pottery for Heath, A collaboration currently in store only, Right: this season's multi stemmed vase

This seasons Desert bowl in Seasonal colors, Right: Espresso cups and saucers in yellow

Row's of Heath product In store

Heath Ceramics was a company I discovered when I moved to the U.S.A several years ago. It was actually their website I discovered first, purchasing a lot of props for The Real Simple prop cupboard which I managed as part of my job as Style Director. I loved the simplicity of their lines and their chalky matt colors that changed out seasonally. Always a fan of twin tone, the interesting use of contrasting color in say an interior of a bowl captivated me with quirky and unexpected combinations.

Heath Ceramics was founded by Edith Heath (1911-2005) who has had a lasting influence on Californian design through pottery. An Iowa farm girl, raised during the Depression and trained as a teacher, Heath worked as a studio potter in San Francisco until 1947, when a growing demand for her pieces inspired her to establish her own line of products and Heath Ceramics was born in 1948. Her parents were Danish and I think you can see this cultural influence in her work.

Edith was influenced by the art and architecture of the Bauhaus movement, pursuing simple, functional forms, and she collaborated with many of the leading architects and designers of the mid-century modern genre. Edith sadly died in 2005, aged 94, but her studio and pottery line still exist. In 2003, husband-and-wife team Robin Petravic and Catherine Bailey, both ceramic artists themselves, purchased Heath Ceramics in Sausalito, where every product is still made in 2003.

The company has evolved to be ever current and their company identity and branding is always on trend, working in collaboration with other companies and designers to bring ever-revolving collections. Vintage Heath can also be admired and purchased in sections of their stores. On the West Coast, Heath defiantly has a presence and they have a number of stores and outlets that carry the full range and the seasonal offerings as mentioned.  

I love the story of Heath Ceramics and that today they are still going strong, I can’t wait to visit all their locations, I am currently in the West Coast so it strikes even more so a chord, Hope it does you too. 

Many pictures here can be found from Heath Ceramics website, check it out.