Historical Society, Discover Portsmouth Add Exhibits

The creative partnership of Mary & Edwin Scheier transformed the world of pottery, evolving studio pottery from everyday craft to fine art, according to a press statement.

The Portsmouth Historical Society/Discover Portsmouth is celebrating the Scheier’s work in an exhibition running April 30 to Oct. 2 at the Academy Gallery on 10 Middle Street in downtown Portsmouth. In an adjacent gallery will also be a retrospective exhibition of fine art and craft made by other artists and craftspeople of that time: members of the New Hampshire Art Association and League of NH Craftsmen. There will be a VIP reception for both exhibitions on April 30 at 4:30 pm and a general public reception to follow at 5:30 p.m. The exhibition is open seven days a week from 10 am to 5 pm.

The Scheirs: A Creative Partnership

Edwin (1911-2008) and Mary (1908-2007) Scheier were struggling Depression-era artists in Virginia. Essentially self-taught, they made functional pottery and small sculptures out of local clays that they found and dug themselves. David Campbell, the director of the League of NH Craftsmen (1938-42 and 1945-62), learned about the Scheiers and convinced them to move to New Hampshire. Campbell found Ed a teaching position in the arts department at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). From 1940 to 1960, Ed taught and Mary served as an artist-in- residence, sometimes creating up to 200 pieces a day.

NH Art Association and League of NH Craftsmen: A Retrospective Exhibit

The couple became celebrated, winning national craft awards year after year, and seeing their work collected by major museums. They were part of the post war, modernist experimental movement, which pushed the limits of utility and art and stressed the benefit of the hand made. For close to 25 years, they lived, worked, and taught in New Hampshire and were active members of the League of NH Craftsmen and the New Hampshire Art Association. They generated an impressive body of work, contributing to the state’s rich craft heritage. Mary did most of the throwing, producing utilitarian, thin-walled, and elegant vessels with simple, luminescent glazes. Ed’s emphasis was on creating sculptural vessels with imaginative surface decoration, such as imagery of fertility goddesses or creation stories.

In 1968, Ed and Mary retired from pottery and lived in Oaxaca, Mexico. Ten years later, they moved to Green Valley, Arizona, where Ed returned to the potter’s wheel to produce some of his greatest works. In 2003, the Scheiers were designated Lotte Jacobi Living Treasures at the New Hampshire Governors Arts Awards, and in 2009, they received the League of NH Craftsmen’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Edwin & Mary Scheier: Mid-Century Modern NH Artists exhibition includes examples of Scheier art from 10 institutions and private collections. The focus is on the mid-century years, from the late 1930s to the late 1960s, when Mary and Ed worked in New Hampshire, as well as their later work from Mexico and Arizona. Pieces will be set in the context of mid-century modern décor.

For more information about the Edwin & Mary Scheier and the NHAA/LNHC Retrospective exhibitions, call 603-436-8433 or visit portsmouthhistory.org.