Stan Bitters Ceramic Thumb Pot Planter for Hans Sumpf with Original Saucer
About the Item
- Creator:Stan Bitters (Designer),Hans Sumpf (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 11 in (27.94 cm)Diameter: 18.5 in (46.99 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1970s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Dallas, TX
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU878514825882
Stan Bitters
An icon of modernist ceramics since the 1960s, Stan Bitters constructed rough assemblages of clay slabs and spoked wheels into massive murals and tall totems, upsizing his medium to an architectural scale.
Like Toshiko Takaezu, Peter Voulkos, Paul Soldner and others, Bitters was part of a small group of American artists during the mid-20th-century who embraced imperfection in their pottery.
Working in ceramics, a material that during the last 100 years was relegated to the supposedly lesser artistic realm of craft, Bitters and these other artists made bold, chunky pieces that served as a counterpoint to the smooth lines and overall slickness of modern and postmodern movements like Bauhaus, constructivism, minimalism, Op art and Pop art.
Hailing from Fresno, California, the self-proclaimed “old hippie” Bitters earned his bachelor’s degree in painting from UCLA. He also studied at what became Otis College in Los Angeles under Voulkos — the bad boy of American ceramics.
Voulkos almost single-handedly spawned what came to be known as the California Clay Movement and flouted pottery’s approved techniques. He transformed clay into a vibrant, highly expressive artistic medium, and Bitters’ funky, fractured style certainly shows it.
Bitters later became associated with organic modernism and created ceramics for Hans Sumpf, a maker of adobe bricks and furniture in Madera.
“Known for his Abstract Expressionist style, Bitters is a steadfast champion of environmental ceramics — the melding of natural, organic clay forms, sculptures and architectural elements into urban spaces to complement, transform and elevate their surroundings,” says Greg Nielson, of Dwell Floor Five, in Studio City, California.
With their sputtery glazes and graffiti-esque glyphs, Bitters’s works exude raw, countercultural energy.
Find Stan Bitters decorative objects, garden ornaments, planters and other furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
You May Also Like
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
Stoneware
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
Ceramic
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Stools
Concrete
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
Ceramic, Clay
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
Ceramic
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Garden Ornaments
Clay
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Garden Ornaments
Ceramic, Stoneware, Plastic
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
Pottery
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
Concrete
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Garden Ornaments
Clay
More From This Seller
View AllMid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
Stainless Steel
Vintage 1950s Dining Room Chairs
Leather, Oak
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Credenzas
Teak
