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Sausalito Ceramicist Edith Heath Celebrated at Oakland Museum of California

A life in clay.

  • Category
    Experiences
  • Above
    Heath Ceramics, Creamer and Open Sugar, 1948. Stoneware, glaze, 2 15/16 x 4 3/8 x 3 1/8 in. Courtesy of the Brian and Edith Heath Foundation.

Trailblazer. Rebel. Revolutionary. Edith Heath, founder and designer of Heath Ceramics, is the subject of a new exhibition at the Oakland Museum of California beginning January 29. At her factory based in Sausalito just north of San Francisco, Heath transformed the ceramics industry, creating dinnerware from California clay for “Sunday best” and everyday use. Driven by the power of good design, and a commitment to her craft, Heath’s vision continues to live on through her stoneware and tile over 70 years later. Durable, not delicate, simple, yet stylish, Heath Ceramics is an icon of American design.

Not a traditional ceramics or craft exhibition, Edith Heath: A Life in Clay combines historic objects, photographs, documentary video and personal memorabilia to showcase Heath’s legacy and story. If you want to take home a modern piece of her legacy, you can visit Heath Ceramics in the original Sausalito studio, or at their retails stores in both San Francisco and Los Angeles. The exhibition in Oakland runs through October 30. For more, visit museumca.org.

Edith at the wheel, c. 1960. Courtesy of Brian and Edith Heath/Heath Ceramics Collection, Environmental Design Archives, UC Berkeley.

Applying a handle to a mug at the Heath factory, c. 1960. Courtesy of Brian and Edith Heath/Heath Ceramics Collection, Environmental Design Archives, UC Berkeley.

Edith Heath in her living room, 1950. Courtesy of Brian and Edith Heath/Heath Ceramics Collection, Environmental Design Archives, UC Berkeley. 

Factory floor, c. 1965. Courtesy of Brian and Edith Heath/Heath Ceramics Collection, Environmental Design Archives, UC Berkeley.

Heath Buffet Service (card), 1955 Paper. Courtesy of Brian and Edith Heath/Heath Ceramics Collection, Environmental Design Archives, UC Berkeley.

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