Barbara Willis, a Glen Luken's Protege is Rediscovered

Barbara Willis was born in Bakersfield, Golden State on June 29, 1917. She began her fine art calling by studying with thrower Laura Andreson and trained with the master, Glen Lukens at UCLA in the late 1930's. In 1942, Barbara opened her first studio pottery. With the deficit of domestic merchandises owed to World War II, Barbara then went from studio to production potter. Barbara's alone glazing technique, vivacious colours and imitation wood designings were sought after by the big shop iron such as as Neiman Marcus, Godhead & Deems Taylor of New York, Gump's, & Macy's to call a few....including the White Person House. The popularity of her work lasted until the mid 1950's when fine art clayware involvement declined owed to the addition in importations after the war. Barbara closed her clayware and moved on to her adjacent concern venture.

In 1994, Barbara Willis establish a piece of her vintage clayware at a flea market. During a conversation with the seller, she passed on her telephone number. A few hebdomads later, an devouring aggregator of her vintage plant called her to explicate that she is a Golden State Art Pottery legend! Barbara was encouraged to get a new line of clayware and, this Barbara Willis, Terrene Pottery was reborn! Barbara utilizes a different attack in the making of her modern-day line. She manus fourth estates each piece, using one of three types of clay. Barbara utilizes a alone one-fire glazing process. Each piece is definitely one of a kind!

What a gracious woman! I had the chance to ran into Barbara Willis, in person, at the Los Angeles Pottery Show on January 29, 2005. In expectancy of meeting and talking with her, I took along my book "Barbara Willis - Classic Golden State Modernism, by Jack Chipman" and asked her if she would be sort enough to subscribe it for me. She signed it "To Alice, Warm Regards - Barbara Willis - 1/29/04." I later noticed that she had inadvertently dated it 2004 instead of 2005. Like most of us, we compose the former year's day of the month until we are used to the new year. I certainly did not mind the wrong date. I was overjoyed that I was conversing with her and expressing my esteem for her work directly in person.

I talk of Barbara Willis with much enthusiasm because of many reasons. First and foremost, I love her clayware - not only her vintage work, but her modern-day work as well. Here's a woman, in her late 80's, who currently have her "creative juices" in motion, working right out of her place in Malibu Beach letting herself be known again to the clayware world after a thirty-seven twelvemonth absence to clay. I, like many others, am very appreciative of her work and share in the joyousness of her tax return arsenic she quickly is being recognized as an of import American ceramist!

You will happen pieces of her vintage and modern-day plant in the shopping gallery at AccessoryHut.com as well as some manus made clayware gift points such as as necklaces, paperweights, and ring holders. I am also proud to denote that Barbara Willis is the "Featured Artist" for the Grand Opening of the gallery.

If you would wish to larn more than about the life and plant of Barbara Willis, the above mentioned book is a great read! The author, Jack Chipman, had the chance to interview her for his book and during the procedure they became good friends and he is now a pupil of hers. A lucky man!