- Susie Cooper
Susie Cooper (
October 29 ,1902 –July 28 ,1995 ) was a prolific English ceramic designer working in theStoke-on-Trent pottery industries from the 1920s to the 1980s.Life and work
Born in Stanfields,
Stoke-on-Trent , she was the youngest of seven children. From an early age she developed an interest in drawing, and began her art education by attending night classes at theBurslem School of Art . In 1922 she joined A.E. Gray & Co. Ltd, partially as a means to gain entry to theRoyal College of Art .A. Edward Gray quickly discovered her talents as a painter and designer, and soon enough Susie was producing her hand-painted floral designs. In 1923 A.E.Gray launched the Gloria Lustre Range employing the technique of
lustreware . In 1929, motivated by her desire to design ceramic shapes in addition to decors, she broke away with her brother-in-law Albert "Jack" Beeson to set up her own business, as Susie Cooper Potteries.Susie worked for many other pottery firms over the next several decades, including
Wedgwood . In 1940 she was awarded the Royal Designer for Industry by the Royal Society of Arts, and in 1979 she received an OBE. By all accounts Elizabeth, The Queen Mother was an admirer of her work.At the age of 80 she retired to live on the
Isle of Man , where she died in 1995. Like otherPotteries based ceramic designers such asClarice Cliff andCharlotte Rhead , her work has become highly sought after and valued by pottery collectors.See also
*
Clarice Cliff
*Charlotte Rhead External links
* [http://www.susiecooper.net/ Susie Cooper Information Site] biography, factory history, pottery marks.
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/local_heroes/susie_cooper/index.shtml BBC Radio Stoke Local Heroes]
* [http://www.stoke.gov.uk/museums Stoke-on-Trent Museums] See Susie Cooper's designs plus the World's Finest Collection of Staffordshire Ceramics.
* [http://www.search.exploringthepotteries.org.uk/engine/theme/default.asp?theme=594 Pots designed by Susie Cooper to explore online]
* [http://www.grayspottery.co.uk/ Gray's pottery website] Resource website for Gray's Pottery
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