George Edgar Ohr (July 12, 1857 – April 7, 1918) was an American ceramic artist and the self-proclaimed "Mad Potter of Biloxi" in Mississippi.[1] In recognition of his innovative experimentation with modern clay forms from 1880 to 1910, some consider him a precursor to the American Abstract-Expressionism movement.[2]
George Ohr was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, on July 12, 1857. He was the son of German immigrants who arrived in New Orleans c. 1850 and subsequently married and moved to Biloxi. George Ohr tried his hand at various trades before he became interested in ceramics in 1879, while an apprentice of Joseph Fortune Meyer. Ohr married Josephine Gehring of New Orleans on September 15, 1886. Ten children were born to the Ohrs, but only 6 survived to adulthood. George Ohr died of throat cancer on April 7, 1918.[3]
Ohr studied the potter's trade with Joseph Meyer in New Orleans, a potter whose family hailed from Alsace-Lorraine, as did Ohr's.[4] Ohr's father had established the first blacksmith shop in Biloxi and his mother ran an early, popular grocery store there.[5] In his lifetime, Ohr claimed to have made over 20,000 ceramic pieces.[6] He called his work "unequaled, undisputed, unrivaled."[7] In 1884, Ohr exhibited and sold his pottery at the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition in New Orleans.[8] Of the hundreds of pieces he showed, Ohr boasted he showed "no two alike."[9]
The 1894 fire that burned most of Biloxi also destroyed Ohr's workshop, and it has been noted that Ohr's post-fire works show tremendous "energy" and "fluidity."[8] George Ohr called his pots "mud babies". Upon the destruction of his workshop and his work, he gathered the pieces that survived the fire, and although burned, he kept each piece, calling them his " burned babies".[10]
WorkEdit
Ohr-O'Keefe Museum's "Pods" by Frank Gehry
Ohr died largely unknown in 1918. For decades, his pots sat in a garage behind his sons' gas station in Biloxi.[11] Ohr's work is now seen as ground-breaking and a harbinger of the abstract sculpture and pottery that developed in the mid-20th century; his pieces are now relatively rare and highly coveted.[12]
A notable feature of Ohr's pottery is its thin walls, metallic glazes, and twisted, pinched shapes; to this day, few potters have been able to replicate them using a pottery wheel, which is how Ohr made his works. Ohr dug much of his clay locally in southern Mississippi from the Tchoutacabouffa River.[8] Tchoutacabouffa is the Biloxi tribe's word for "broken pot."[13]
He called himself the "Mad Potter of Biloxi", groomed himself eccentrically, and inscribed this bawdy poem on the side of some of his pots: "Molly and I were on the beach engaged in nature's folly, The sand was hot upon my back but the sun was hot to Molly."[14]
The Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Of Art in Biloxi has a large permanent collection of Ohr's work. Three buildings of the new campus designed by Frank Gehry opened to the public on November 8, 2010, with several exhibitions, including a large selection of work by George Ohr. In addition to the Gehry-designed buildings, the Pleasant Reed Interpretive Center is also open to the public.
The museum campus was almost partially destroyed during Hurricane Katrina when a casino barge was washed onto a nearby estate. Visitors can view the construction that is planned to continue on the western part of the campus, beginning with the Center for Ceramics building, followed by the George E. Ohr "Pods," scheduled to be completed in 2012.
From 2007 to 2010 Ohr Rising: The Emergence of an American Master, a major national exhibition of Ohr pottery, traveled to Pomona, California; San Angelo, Texas; Alfred, New York; Toronto, Canada; and the Louisiana State University Museum of Art in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Many of those pieces, as well as several that have never been displayed, can now be seen at the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art.
Aerial view of the casino barge washed onto the site of the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum in September 2005
Two new Frank-Gehry designed buildings are scheduled to open in 2012. The City of Biloxi Center for Ceramics will open in late spring/early summer 2012 and will be used for classes in ceramics and other art. The Center for Ceramics will also contain community meeting areas.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to George E. Ohr.
ReferencesEdit
^Puente, Maria (October 21, 2005). "Storm exacts a cultural toll". USA Today. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
^"George E. Ohr art links". ArtCyclopedia. 2008-01-22. Retrieved 2008-05-06.
^"George Edgar b. Ohr (1857 - 1918)". AskArt. Retrieved May 6, 2008.
^Carr Black, Patti (May 2002). . Mississippi Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 10, 2011. Retrieved May 6, 2008.
^"George E. Ohr Pottery & Ceramics Information & History". Collectics Reference & Collector Education. Retrieved May 6, 2008.
^Mohr, Richard D.; Ohr, George E. (2003). Pottery, Politics, Art: George Ohr and the Brothers Kirkpatrick. University of Illinois Press. p. 1. ISBN978-0-252-02789-5.
^Watson, Bruce (February 1, 2004). "The Mad Potter of Biloxi". Smithsonian. Retrieved May 6, 2008.
^ abcKlein Albertson, Karla (September 2, 2003). . Antiques and the Arts Online. Archived from the original on February 8, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2008.
^Ellison, Robert A., Jr. (2006). George Ohr, Art Potter. The Apostle of Individuality. Martin Eidelberg. London: Scala. ISBN1-85759-425-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^(The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr-Eccentric Genius by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan)
^Watson, Bruce (February 2004). "The Mad Potter of Biloxi". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
^Antiques and the Arts Editorial Content (February 11, 2003). . Antiques and the Arts Online. Archived from the original on July 6, 2008. Retrieved May 6, 2008.
^McKee, Jesse O.; Foster, Velvelyn Blackwell; Young, Stephen; et al. (2005). (PDF). Atlanta: Clairmont Press. p. 330. ISBN1-56733-125-4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-02-27. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
^Rago, David (appraiser), Antiques Roadshow, Dallas, Texas, June 28, 2008
Further readingEdit
Carr Black, Patti (2009). American Masters of the Mississippi Gulf Coast: George Ohr, Dusti Bongé, Walter Anderson, Richmond Barthe. Jackson, Mississippi: Mississippi Arts Commission. ISBN978-1-60473-205-4.
Clark, Garth; Ellison, Robert A.; Hecht, Eugene (1989). The Mad Potter of Biloxi: The Art & Life of George E. Ohr. New York: Abbeville Press. ISBN978-0-89659-927-7.
Ellison, Robert A. (2006). George Ohr, Art Potter: The Apostle of Individuality. London: Scala. ISBN978-1-85759-425-6.
Hecht, Eugene (1994). After the Fire: George Ohr, an American genius. Lambertville, NJ: Arts and Crafts Quarterly Press. ISBN978-0-9637896-9-3.
Mohr, Richard D. (2003). Pottery, Politics, Art: George Ohr and the Brothers Kirkpatrick. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. ISBN978-0-252-02789-5.
External linksEdit
George E. Ohr 2018-10-30 at the Wayback Machine at the Ohr–O'Keefe Museum of Art
August 29, 2023
george, george, edgar, july, 1857, april, 1918, american, ceramic, artist, self, proclaimed, potter, biloxi, mississippi, recognition, innovative, experimentation, with, modern, clay, forms, from, 1880, 1910, some, consider, precursor, american, abstract, expr. George Edgar Ohr July 12 1857 April 7 1918 was an American ceramic artist and the self proclaimed Mad Potter of Biloxi in Mississippi 1 In recognition of his innovative experimentation with modern clay forms from 1880 to 1910 some consider him a precursor to the American Abstract Expressionism movement 2 George Edgar OhrThe Mad Potter of Biloxi BornJuly 12 1857Biloxi Mississippi USDiedApril 7 1918 1918 04 07 aged 60 New Orleans Louisiana USNationalityAmericanKnown forPotteryStyleAbstract expressionismSpouseJosephine GehringMemorial s Ohr O Keefe Museum Of ArtInterior of Ohr s rebuilt workshop 1901 Contents 1 Personal life 2 Work 3 Ohr O Keefe Museum of Art 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksPersonal life EditGeorge Ohr was born in Biloxi Mississippi on July 12 1857 He was the son of German immigrants who arrived in New Orleans c 1850 and subsequently married and moved to Biloxi George Ohr tried his hand at various trades before he became interested in ceramics in 1879 while an apprentice of Joseph Fortune Meyer Ohr married Josephine Gehring of New Orleans on September 15 1886 Ten children were born to the Ohrs but only 6 survived to adulthood George Ohr died of throat cancer on April 7 1918 3 Ohr studied the potter s trade with Joseph Meyer in New Orleans a potter whose family hailed from Alsace Lorraine as did Ohr s 4 Ohr s father had established the first blacksmith shop in Biloxi and his mother ran an early popular grocery store there 5 In his lifetime Ohr claimed to have made over 20 000 ceramic pieces 6 He called his work unequaled undisputed unrivaled 7 In 1884 Ohr exhibited and sold his pottery at the World s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition in New Orleans 8 Of the hundreds of pieces he showed Ohr boasted he showed no two alike 9 The 1894 fire that burned most of Biloxi also destroyed Ohr s workshop and it has been noted that Ohr s post fire works show tremendous energy and fluidity 8 George Ohr called his pots mud babies Upon the destruction of his workshop and his work he gathered the pieces that survived the fire and although burned he kept each piece calling them his burned babies 10 Work Edit Ohr O Keefe Museum s Pods by Frank GehryOhr died largely unknown in 1918 For decades his pots sat in a garage behind his sons gas station in Biloxi 11 Ohr s work is now seen as ground breaking and a harbinger of the abstract sculpture and pottery that developed in the mid 20th century his pieces are now relatively rare and highly coveted 12 A notable feature of Ohr s pottery is its thin walls metallic glazes and twisted pinched shapes to this day few potters have been able to replicate them using a pottery wheel which is how Ohr made his works Ohr dug much of his clay locally in southern Mississippi from the Tchoutacabouffa River 8 Tchoutacabouffa is the Biloxi tribe s word for broken pot 13 He called himself the Mad Potter of Biloxi groomed himself eccentrically and inscribed this bawdy poem on the side of some of his pots Molly and I were on the beach engaged in nature s folly The sand was hot upon my back but the sun was hot to Molly 14 Ohr O Keefe Museum of Art EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed July 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Ohr O Keefe Museum Of Art in Biloxi has a large permanent collection of Ohr s work Three buildings of the new campus designed by Frank Gehry opened to the public on November 8 2010 with several exhibitions including a large selection of work by George Ohr In addition to the Gehry designed buildings the Pleasant Reed Interpretive Center is also open to the public The museum campus was almost partially destroyed during Hurricane Katrina when a casino barge was washed onto a nearby estate Visitors can view the construction that is planned to continue on the western part of the campus beginning with the Center for Ceramics building followed by the George E Ohr Pods scheduled to be completed in 2012 From 2007 to 2010 Ohr Rising The Emergence of an American Master a major national exhibition of Ohr pottery traveled to Pomona California San Angelo Texas Alfred New York Toronto Canada and the Louisiana State University Museum of Art in Baton Rouge Louisiana Many of those pieces as well as several that have never been displayed can now be seen at the Ohr O Keefe Museum of Art Aerial view of the casino barge washed onto the site of the Ohr O Keefe Museum in September 2005Two new Frank Gehry designed buildings are scheduled to open in 2012 The City of Biloxi Center for Ceramics will open in late spring early summer 2012 and will be used for classes in ceramics and other art The Center for Ceramics will also contain community meeting areas Wikimedia Commons has media related to George E Ohr References Edit Puente Maria October 21 2005 Storm exacts a cultural toll USA Today Retrieved January 21 2010 George E Ohr art links ArtCyclopedia 2008 01 22 Retrieved 2008 05 06 George Edgar b Ohr 1857 1918 AskArt Retrieved May 6 2008 Carr Black Patti May 2002 George E Ohr America s First Art Potter Mississippi Historical Society Archived from the original on June 10 2011 Retrieved May 6 2008 George E Ohr Pottery amp Ceramics Information amp History Collectics Reference amp Collector Education Retrieved May 6 2008 Mohr Richard D Ohr George E 2003 Pottery Politics Art George Ohr and the Brothers Kirkpatrick University of Illinois Press p 1 ISBN 978 0 252 02789 5 Watson Bruce February 1 2004 The Mad Potter of Biloxi Smithsonian Retrieved May 6 2008 a b c Klein Albertson Karla September 2 2003 The Odyssey of George E Ohr Antiques and the Arts Online Archived from the original on February 8 2012 Retrieved May 6 2008 Ellison Robert A Jr 2006 George Ohr Art Potter The Apostle of Individuality Martin Eidelberg London Scala ISBN 1 85759 425 8 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link The Mad Potter George E Ohr Eccentric Genius by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan Watson Bruce February 2004 The Mad Potter of Biloxi Smithsonian Magazine Retrieved 14 July 2018 Antiques and the Arts Editorial Content February 11 2003 Record George Ohr Teapot Leads Craftsman Auction Antiques and the Arts Online Archived from the original on July 6 2008 Retrieved May 6 2008 McKee Jesse O Foster Velvelyn Blackwell Young Stephen et al 2005 Mississippi The Magnolia State PDF Atlanta Clairmont Press p 330 ISBN 1 56733 125 4 Archived from the original PDF on 2009 02 27 Retrieved 2008 07 02 Rago David appraiser Antiques Roadshow Dallas Texas June 28 2008Further reading EditCarr Black Patti 2009 American Masters of the Mississippi Gulf Coast George Ohr Dusti Bonge Walter Anderson Richmond Barthe Jackson Mississippi Mississippi Arts Commission ISBN 978 1 60473 205 4 Clark Garth Ellison Robert A Hecht Eugene 1989 The Mad Potter of Biloxi The Art amp Life of George E Ohr New York Abbeville Press ISBN 978 0 89659 927 7 Ellison Robert A 2006 George Ohr Art Potter The Apostle of Individuality London Scala ISBN 978 1 85759 425 6 Hecht Eugene 1994 After the Fire George Ohr an American genius Lambertville NJ Arts and Crafts Quarterly Press ISBN 978 0 9637896 9 3 Mohr Richard D 2003 Pottery Politics Art George Ohr and the Brothers Kirkpatrick Urbana University of Illinois Press ISBN 978 0 252 02789 5 External links EditGeorge E Ohr Archived 2018 10 30 at the Wayback Machine at the Ohr O Keefe Museum of Art Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George E Ohr amp oldid 1133424798, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
