Warren Mackenzie: An American Potter [Paperback]

David Lewis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1995

Presents an intimate look into the life of American craftsman, Warren MacKenzie, his creative process and influence. The book is updated to include new glaze formulas.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

MacKenzie's pottery, made on his Minnesota farm, contains references to the flasks and storage jars of pioneering homesteaders. Yet he is no simple rustic potter. As an apprentice to famous Cornwall ceramicist Bernard Leach in the 1950s, MacKenzie, now 67, absorbed the influences of Japan's mingei movement, in which his mentor was steeped. Mingei (or folkcraft) strived for beauty born of unself-conscious humility, and MacKenzie's work fulfills this ideal in its sensuous enjoyment of spontaneous runs and crazes, its exuberant finger wipes, drips and splotches, its textures made with unlikely tools. In this lavishly illustrated retrospective, Lewis, a Pittsburgh architect and urban designer, decodes the cultural cross-fertilization in MacKenzie's pottery, with influences ranging from ancient Greece to Mayan and early Christian rituals. This album offers a rare personal glimpse of a well-known craftsperson who has assiduously avoided the spotlight.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

MacKenzie is one of the best American potters working today. This warm, sympathetic biography by a close friend follows his career through his study at the Art Institute of Chicago, his apprenticeship with a master (Bernard Leach), the many years of balancing the demands of university teaching with family responsibilities and work in a rural Minnesota studio, and, finally, his retirement from teaching into full-time work as a potter. More than just the biography of one man, this book is a portrait of the lifestyle of the successful artist in contemporary America. The illustrations are excellent and give us a good overview of MacKenzie's work. Highly recommended for art collections.
-Constance Ashmore Fairchild, Univ. of Illinois Lib., Urbana-Champaign
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Kodansha Amer Inc; Rev Upd edition (September 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 4770019912
• ISBN-13: 978-4770019912
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,544,818 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisitely photographed, February 17, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Richard Wehrs) (St. Louis, Missouri) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Warren Mackenzie: An American Potter (Paperback)

It's hard to overstate the beauty of the photography in this book. Peter Lee demonstrates remarkable skill in giving each image the respect it deserves. Potters, pottery fans, and photographers alike will delight in the richness of "Warren MacKenzie: An American Potter."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, July 8, 2008

By 

D. A. Schuman "book fiend" (Coventry, RI United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Warren Mackenzie: An American Potter (Hardcover)

This book is lovely to look and and fun to read. It covers the work of an iconic potter who has influenced so many in the field. Great for collectors and serious students of ceramics.