Eva Zeisel
Eva Zeisel
#### Full Name and Common Aliases
Eva Zeisel was born on December 13, 1906, in Budapest, Hungary. Her full name is Eva Striker, but she is commonly known as Eva Zeisel.
Birth and Death Dates
December 13, 1906 - September 30, 2011
Nationality and Profession(s)
Eva Zeisel was a Hungarian-American ceramic artist, designer, and entrepreneur. She was a pioneer in the field of modern ceramics and is widely regarded as one of the most influential ceramic artists of the 20th century.
Early Life and Background
Growing up in Budapest, Hungary, Eva Striker was exposed to art from an early age. Her father, Alexander Striker, was a Hungarian engineer who encouraged her creative pursuits. Zeisel's early experiences with ceramics began when she was just eight years old; her mother gave her a small ceramic set as a gift.
In 1924, at the age of 18, Eva traveled to Paris to study art and design. She spent several years in France honing her skills as an artist and designer, working with various mediums including ceramics, textiles, and interior design.
Major Accomplishments
Eva Zeisel's contributions to the field of modern ceramics are immeasurable. Her innovative designs revolutionized the industry, making ceramics a staple in homes around the world. Some of her most notable accomplishments include:
Designing the first ceramic flower pot with a handle that could be removed and used as a vase.
Creating a line of tableware that was both functional and beautiful, featuring simple, elegant forms that were unlike anything seen before.
Founding Eva Zeisel Inc., a company that produced her designs on a large scale.Notable Works or Actions
Some of Eva Zeisel's most notable works include:
The "Poppet" teapot, which features a whimsical handle and spout design.
The "Forma" line of ceramics, which showcased her innovative use of shape and form.
Her work as a designer for the famous glass company, LSA International.
Impact and Legacy
Eva Zeisel's impact on the world of art and design cannot be overstated. Her innovative designs have influenced generations of artists and designers, making her one of the most important figures in modern ceramics. Today, her work continues to inspire and delight people around the world.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Eva Zeisel is widely quoted and remembered for her insightful quotes on art, design, and creativity. Some of her most famous quotes include:
"The only way to do great work is to love what you do."
"A good designer must be a good thinker, and a good thinker must be a good observer."
* "Creativity is the highest form of intelligence."
These quotes capture her passion for art and design, as well as her commitment to innovation and creativity. They serve as a reminder that great work can only come from a place of love and dedication.
With this biography, we hope to inspire readers to learn more about Eva Zeisel's remarkable life and career. Her story serves as a testament to the power of creativity and perseverance, and continues to inspire artists and designers around the world today.
Quotes by Eva Zeisel
If I hadn’t been a designer, I’d have been a painter. I began as a painter and learned the craft of pottery in order to support myself.
My time in Weimar Berlin was the most elegant in my life. I would have parties for a hundred people – writers, scientists, artists.
I don’t call myself an ‘industrial designer,’ because I’m other things. Industrial designers want to make novel things. Novelty is a concept of commerce, not an aesthetic concept.
I don’t like to design single objects. I like my pieces to have a relationship to each other. They can be mother and child, like the Schmoo salt and pepper shakers, or brother and sister like the Birdie salt and peppers, or cousins, like most of my dinnerware sets.
If you want to be creative, don’t try to do something new. Doing something new means NOT doing what’s been done before, and that’s a negative impulse. Negative impulses are frustrating. They’re the opposite of creativity, and they never yield good ideas...
The pleasure of making things beautiful or useful involves your feelings as well as your thinking. When your original sketch evolves into a tangible, three-dimensional object, your heart is anxiously following the process of your work. And the love involved in making it is conveyed to those for whom you made it.
To be different is a negative motive, and no creative thought or created thing grows out of a negative impulse. A negative impulse is always frustrating. And to be different means ‘not like this’ and ‘not like that.’ And the ‘not like’—that’s why postmodernism, with the prefix of ‘post,’ couldn’t work. No negative impulse can work, can produce any happy creation. Only a positive one.