Born in Pennsylvania, Don Reitz (1929-2014) was a ceramic artist acknowledged for reigniting a spark for salt glaze pottery in the United States. Reitz attended Alfred University and received his MFA in 1962. Ceramics Monthly named him one of the top twelve world’s greatest living potters in 1981. He taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for more than 25 years and retired as professor emeritus in 1988. His extensive body of work is represented in over 50 distinguished public and private collections.

• Born: 1929
• Died: 2014
• Hometown: Sunbury, PA
• Education: Alfred University

Artist Statement: When I work I think a lot. Mostly it’s not about that which is in front of me. That action is generally a spontaneous response. I just think, tell ridiculous stories, or pretend I am the greatest artist of all time. I think about who is really forming who at this moment and other seemingly unrelated stuff, an integral component. Lately, due in part to the passing of my dear friends and heroes, I have been thinking about time. Surely the greatest gift of all, yet we take it for granted. This gift of time what shall I do with it? How much time is there? Will I waste it by worrying about the RULES, yesterday’s idea, or about laborious, extraneous techniques before I need them? I choose not to.

Over the years, time has allowed me to manipulate my forms and surfaces with some degree of innate intelligence and personal satisfaction. Time, an essential ingredient in firing, hardens and colors the clay, but also gives me time to think and look inward.

Time has enabled me to bring to my work a personal uniqueness, a clarification of purpose. These works serve as a bridge which allows me to move freely from reality to REALITY. In the interface I am free of convention, opinion, and burdensome history. My work becomes a personal iconography enabling me to visualize and organize my information. My marks are there in the clay. My signature.

Don Reitz’s Career and Legacy

Reitz began his career as a traditional potter but later transitioned to more experimental and non-functional works. He is credited with introducing innovative techniques in wood-firing and salt-glazing, contributing to an evolution of contemporary ceramics.

Throughout his career, Don Reitz received numerous awards and accolades for his artistic achievements. His work is included in major collections and museums around the world. In addition to his artistic endeavors, Reitz was a dedicated teacher and mentor, influencing many emerging ceramic artists.

Don Reitz’s legacy extends not only through his own artistic achievements but also through his impact on the broader ceramic community and his role in pushing the boundaries of traditional pottery techniques.