{"id":305003,"date":"2026-05-07T22:53:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T22:53:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/305003\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T22:53:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T22:53:08","slug":"work-by-pioneering-ceramicist-edith-heath-gifted-to-oakland-museum-of-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/305003\/","title":{"rendered":"Work by pioneering ceramicist Edith Heath gifted to Oakland Museum of California"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) has received a landmark gift from The Brian and Edith Heath Foundation of\u00a0more than\u00a0100 objects<\/a>\u00a0by pioneering ceramicist Edith Heath (1911\u20132005), along with a $1 million endowment\u00a0to support the long-term care of craft and decorative arts in the Museum\u2019s collection. The gift significantly expands OMCA\u2019s holdings of Heath\u2019s work to\u00a0over 200 objects<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0affirms the Museum\u2019s role as a leading steward of California craft and design.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis extraordinary gift deepens OMCA\u2019s ability to tell the story of California creativity and innovation,\u201d said\u00a0Lori Fogarty, Executive Director and CEO of OMCA.\u00a0\u201cEdith Heath transformed ceramics by uniting art, science, and industry, and her work helped define a distinctly California approach to modern living. We are profoundly grateful to The Brian and Edith Heath Foundation for entrusting these works to OMCA and for their generous support of their ongoing care.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spanning the 1940s to the 1980s, the newly gifted works\u2014carefully selected to illuminate how Heath worked and her creative process\u2014span\u00a0hand-thrown vessels, iconic mid-century dinnerware, glaze and clay body tests, and other experimental pieces.\u00a0Highlights include hand-formed works from the period of her landmark 1944 exhibition at the Legion of Honor, early production pieces created for her collaboration with Gump\u2019s department store, and 1958 stoneware vases featured in Ceramics Monthly. Several of the works have previously appeared at OMCA, including in The Potter\u2019s Art in California (1978) and the artist\u2019s first major survey,\u00a0Edith Heath: A Life in Clay<\/a>\u00a0(2021\u201322),\u00a0underscoring OMCA\u2019s long-standing support of Heath\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of Edith\u2019s favorite Sunday jaunts was to the Oakland Museum; I felt like I was visiting \u2018her\u2019 museum,\u201d said Jay Stewart, Trustee of The Brian and Edith Heath Foundation.\u00a0\u201cWe are honored to place these works in a community-focused institution, where they will continue to inspire new generations of artists, designers, and learners.\u201d<\/p>\n

A trailblazing artist and entrepreneur, Heath\u00a0revolutionized modern ceramics<\/a>\u00a0through distinctive clay bodies, nature-inspired glazes, and forms designed for everyday use. Rejecting the delicacy of fine china and the idea that meaningful design could only exist in handmade objects, she built Heath Ceramics, a company whose modern dinnerware and tile have remained in continuous production for more than 70 years.\u00a0Her durable, egalitarian designs helped define a California lifestyle\u00a0rooted in simplicity, resilience, and connection to the natural environment.<\/p>\n

OMCA has collected and exhibited Heath ceramics since the early 1970s, and\u00a0the new gift significantly enhances the Museum\u2019s ability to present her work\u00a0within the broader context of California art, history, and design. The objects will be incorporated into both the Art and History Galleries, where they will be displayed alongside works by other California makers and integrated into gallery-based learning programs that explore artistic process, material experimentation, and innovation.<\/p>\n

The gift coincides with a renewed institutional commitment to craft and decorative arts at OMCA. Simultaneously, the Museum is\u00a0announcing the appointment of Isabel Elson-Enriquez as the Imogene Gieling Associate Curator of Craft and Decorative Arts, a position made possible by a generous gift from the late Bay Area jewelry designer Imogene Gieling.\u00a0In this role, Elson-Enriquez will help steward OMCA\u2019s extensive holdings of ceramics, jewelry, textiles, metalwork, glass, and furniture, spanning the 19th century to the present.<\/p>\n

\u201cCraft has long been central to California\u2019s creative identity,\u201d said\u00a0Makeda Best, Deputy Director, Curatorial Affairs at OMCA.\u00a0\u201cThis transformative gift of Edith Heath\u2019s work, along with the creation of a dedicated curatorial role, allows us to deepen our engagement with the artists and makers who have shaped the region\u2019s cultural landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n

OMCA holds one of\u00a0the most significant collections of California craft and decorative arts in the state,\u00a0with particular strengths in California Arts and Crafts and California Studio Craft. The Museum continues to actively collect work by artists working in traditional craft media as well as those who push the boundaries between craft and contemporary art. Together, these initiatives reinforce OMCA\u2019s mission to present the art, history, and natural environment of California through the stories of the people who shape it\u2014ensuring that the legacy of artists like Edith Heath remains a vital part of the state\u2019s cultural narrative.<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE BRIAN AND EDITH HEATH FOUNDATION<\/p>\n

Established in 2007 by Jay Stewart pursuant to Brian and Edith\u2019s wishes, The Brian and Edith Heath Foundation supports research and scholarship to advance knowledge of ceramics, design, and the cultural history of California. Key collaborations include:\u00a0Heath Ceramics: The Making of a California Classic\u00a0(KCET documentary, 2019),\u00a0Edith Heath: Philosophies\u00a0(Berkeley Design Books, 2020),\u00a0From the Earth\u00a0(Vancouver Art Gallery, 2021), and\u00a0Edith Heath: A Life in Clay\u00a0(OMCA, 2022).<\/p>\n

The Foundation stewards a collection of more than 1,000 ceramic objects documenting the creative legacy of Edith Heath and Heath Ceramics. As part of the Foundation\u2019s commitment to public access, the collection is being donated to cultural institutions across the US and made available online, creating a global network of research opportunities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA<\/p>\n

Founded in 1969 as a \u201cmuseum of the people,\u201d\u00a0Oakland Museum of California (OMCA)\u00a0tells the diverse stories of California\u2019s art, history, and natural environment. Through inclusive exhibitions, public programs, and educational initiatives, OMCA creates space for meaningful dialogue and strives to build more equitable, empathetic, and connected communities. With more than 2 million objects, OMCA\u2019s collection of art, history, and natural science\u00a0is a resource for understanding California\u2019s dynamic heritage\u2014all\u00a0within its 110,000 square feet of gallery space and seven-acre campus.<\/p>\n

A leading Bay Area cultural institution rooted in Oakland,\u00a0OMCA is dedicated to fostering an environment where visitors\u00a0from the region, state, and beyond\u00a0feel valued and empowered to shape the future of California\u2019s cultural landscape.<\/p>\n

VISITOR INFORMATION<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Oakland Museum of California<\/a>\u00a0(OMCA) is at 1000 Oak Street, at 10th Street, in Oakland. All-inclusive Museum admission is $25 general admission; $22 for seniors; and $18 for youth ages 12 to 17, as well as for students and educators with valid ID; and free for Members and children 12 and under.<\/p>\n

OMCA offers onsite underground parking and is conveniently located one block from the Lake Merritt BART station, on the corner of 10th Street and Oak Street. An accessibility ramp is located at the 1000 Oak Street main entrance to the Museum.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) has received a landmark gift from The Brian and Edith Heath Foundation…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":305004,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[91043,128492,100,143,145,144],"class_list":["post-305003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-oakland","tag-ceramics","tag-female-artist","tag-news","tag-oakland","tag-oakland-headlines","tag-oakland-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=305003"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305003\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/305004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=305003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=305003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=305003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}