Rupert Deese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rupert Deese
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| Born |
Rupert Julian Deese
July 16, 1924 |
| Died | July 12, 2010 (aged 85) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Pomona College, Claremont Graduate School |
| Known for | Ceramic art |
Rupert Deese (born Rupert Julian Deese, and also known as Rummy) was an American artist. He was born on July 16, 1924, and passed away on July 12, 2010. He was famous for his amazing work with ceramics. Ceramics are art pieces made from clay and then baked at very high temperatures.
Rupert Deese was known for creating new and interesting designs. He once said, "I hope that as people use these pots, they will find them useful and pleasant, even as their beauty might change over time."
Contents
Rupert Deese's Early Life and Art Career
Rupert Deese was born in Agana, Guam. His father was an officer in the Marine Corps. After finishing high school in 1942, Rupert joined the Army Air Corps. He worked as a mechanic for B-17 planes in the United States.
After the war, Rupert went to Pomona College. He earned a college degree in 1950. Then, he started working as a ceramist in Claremont, California. He shared a studio with another ceramist named Harrison McIntosh. They worked together for over 60 years! In 1951, Rupert married Helen Smith, and they had four children.
Learning More About Ceramics
In the mid-1950s, Rupert received a special grant from art lovers Robert and Catherine Garrison. This helped him go to Claremont Graduate School. There, he studied ceramics with Richard Petterson and sculpture with Albert Stewart.
He also got help and encouragement from other artists in Claremont. These included architect Millard Sheets and artists Jean and Arthur Ames. He was also friends with a group of young artists. This group included woodworker Sam Maloof and painters Melvin Woods, Jim Hueter, Jim Fuller, and Karl Benjamin.
Teaching and National Recognition
Rupert Deese earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in ceramics in 1957. He kept making his own ceramics in his studio. To earn more money, he also started teaching. He taught ceramics at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California. He taught there until 1971.
In 1958, Rupert and Harrison McIntosh moved their studio. They built a new space next to McIntosh's home in Padua Hills, Claremont. Rupert's pottery became famous across the country in 1960. His covered bean jar won a big prize at the 21st Ceramic National Exhibition. This event was held at the Everson Museum in Syracuse, New York.
Designing for Franciscan Ceramics
In 1964, Rupert Deese took a full-time job as a designer. He worked for the Franciscan Ceramics part of Interpace in Los Angeles. Millard Sheets, who was a consultant there, put together a team of talented artists. This team included ceramists Richard Petterson, Dora De Larios, Helen Richter Watson, Henry Takemoto, and Jerry Rothman.
For the next twenty years, until he retired in 1984, Rupert designed many things. He created shapes and patterns for Franciscan dinnerware, glassware, and flatware. He even designed the shapes for Madeira, which was one of the company's most popular dinnerware patterns. Even with this job, he still worked on his own ceramics in his studio during evenings and weekends.
Where Rupert Deese's Art Was Sold
In the 1950s, Rupert Deese's handmade ceramics were sold by several interior design companies. One of these was Dean Marshall in La Jolla, California. In the 1970s, his ceramics were sold at Gallery 8 in Claremont. In the 1990s, you could find his work at the Tobey C. Moss Gallery in Los Angeles.
Rupert also made many custom art pieces. Many of these were ordered by Millard Sheets for his clients. For example, he made a drinking fountain for Oakmont Elementary School. He also created special ashtrays for people who supported Harvey Mudd College. He even made a bronze tree for the Home Savings of America building in Beverly Hills. And he designed a planter for the United States Capitol Members' Dining Room.
Exhibitions: Where His Art Was Shown
Rupert Deese's artwork was shown in many places. Here are some of the important exhibitions:
- 1950-1956 Los Angeles County Fair Exhibition, Pomona, California
- 1951-52 Everson Museum, Syracuse, New York, Ceramic National Exhibition
- 1955-57 Pasadena Art Museum, Pasadena, California, California Designed Exhibition
- 1960 Everson Museum, Syracuse, New York, 21st Ceramic National Exhibition (where he won a big prize!)
- 1996 Tobey C. Moss Gallery, Los Angeles, Four Friends, The Work of Rupert Deese, Jim Hueter, Sam Maloof, and Harrison McIntosh
- 1997 The Chinati Foundation and The Judd Foundation, Marfa, Texas, Rupert Deese, Barnett Newman and Dan Flavin
- 2011 The Huntington Library, California, The House That Sam Built: Sam Maloof and Art in the Pomona Valley, 1945–1985
- 2011 Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California, California Design, 1930–1965: Living in a Modern Way
- 2011 American Museum of Ceramic Art, California, Common Ground: Ceramics in Southern California 1945–1975
Awards and Recognition
Rupert Deese received several awards for his ceramic art:
- 1950-1951 Los Angeles County Fair Exhibition, Pomona, California. He received an Honorable Mention.
- 1951 Everson Museum, Syracuse, New York, Ceramic National Exhibition. He received an Honorable Mention.
- 1952 California State Fair. He won Second Prize for his glaze work.
- 1953 St. Paul Gallery, Fiber-Clay-Metal exhibition. He received an Honorable Mention and an award for a piece that was purchased for their collection.
- 1960 Everson Museum, Syracuse, New York, 21st Ceramic National Exhibition. He won the IBM sweepstakes prize, a very important award.
Collections: Where His Art Can Be Found
Rupert Deese's artwork is part of the permanent collections in many museums and galleries. This means his pieces are kept and displayed for people to see for a long time.
- Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Boston
- Everson Museum, Syracuse, New York
- Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle
- Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, California
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles
- Mingei International Museum, San Diego
- Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
- Scripps College, Claremont, California
- Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
- American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, California
