HOWARD PIERCE - Pair of Playful Racoons - RARE

HOWARD PIERCE - Pair of Playful Racoons - RARE

Howard Pierce (1912 - 1994)  was the founder and artistic creator of a unique Southern California ceramics studio. 

Born in Chicago, Howard began his artistic training at the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois. He moved to Claremont, California in 1934, where he continued his education at Pomona College. He began producing ceramics in the late 1940’s. He moved to Joshua Tree in 1968 to continue ceramic design and production. Many of Howard’s pieces are now collectors items and Howard is prominent in many books on American Ceramics.

Howard personally handled all aspects of the ceramics—from original sculpture modeling, making of the molds, formulating the clay body and glazes, to the production and firing of the pieces. Each piece an original, hand-crafted American product. Howard focused on porcelain, a high quality ceramic process which includes a single firing at 2150°F.

Since 1968 Howard created a few larger concrete statues for permanent installations. Many of these creations surround his Joshua Tree home and others are located at public sites through out the high desert. Up to 12 feet high, these pieces hold prominent places in the community.