Jane Peiser (NC, 1933-2022), Two Ceramic Figural Vessels

Lot Details & Additional Photographs

Penland, North Carolina, hand-built colored and salt-glazed porcelain, the first a hand-built vase in marquise form, decorated in whimsical landscape designs, signed to the underside (7 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 2 1/2 in.); the second formed as a pen holder with leaning figure supporting a square cup receptacle, appears unsigned (7 3/8 x 6 1/2 x 3 1/2 in.);

Jane had a Masters of Science in education from Illinois Institute of Technology and began her career as a teacher of art history in Chicago. She was also a painter for a time, but eventually turned her attention to ceramics. Her former husband and lifelong friend, glass artist Mark Peiser, explained that her interest was always in people and faces. “She had some issues with backgrounds,” he said, “and this caused her to start making compositions by putting ceramic tiles onto things.”

She was a generous teacher who led workshops at Penland, Oregon College of Art and Craft, the Archie Bray Foundation in Montana, Hawaii Arts and Craft, and other venues. She received two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships, and her work is in collections including the Smithsonian Institution in DC and the Mint Museum of Art in North Carolina. She also contributed a chapter to The Penland School of Crafts Book of Pottery (1975).

Figural pen holder with cracks to the base edge, and area of loss to one wing. else good condition.