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Otto and Gertrud Natzler: Volcanic Orange and a Life Together in the Ceramic Studio

Untitled Oval Bowl, c. 1940 Ceramic with Pompeian glaze; 3.75 x 5 x 1.5 inches; Collection of Carol and Seymour Haber Photo Dan Kvitka
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Untitled Oval Bowl, c. 1940 Ceramic with Pompeian glaze; 3.75 x 5 x 1.5 inches; Collection of Carol and Seymour Haber Photo Dan Kvitka

 

Otto-Gertrud-Natzler
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Gertrud and Otto Natzler. American Craft Council Archives.

Otto (1908-2007) and Gertrud Amon Natzler ( 1908-1971) worked together, with Gertrud making the pottery and Otto the glazes.  He feigned an interest in clay because he was smitten with Gertrud.  They set up a studio together in Austria, and Otto set about learning to glaze the lyrical forms created by Gertrud, and discovering he liked the imperfections, blisters and pockmarks even more than traditional glaze.  In 1938, the Nazi’s invaded Austria, and they married and  fled to LA.  The fact of Otto’s over 1,000 glazes and Gertrud’s 25,000 hand thrown pots surely qualifies them as a Dynamic Duo!   The evocation of Pompeii, and volcanic red-orange in the glazes, fitting seamlessly to the pottery, is a brilliant tribute to the fire of creativity.

 

Dynamic Duos on my Pinterest

Orange Tuesdays on my Pinterest

 

More Natzler Loveliness:

The Ceramics of Otto and Gertrud Natzler

Gertrud and Otto Natzler from mid2mod

Gertrud Amon Natzler from the Jewish Women’s Archive

Otto Natzler, Master Glazer

 

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