And Vivika Heino (1910-1995) Artist's Statement – Otto
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OTTO HEINO (1915 - 2009 ) AND VIVIKA HEINO (1910-1995) The partnership of Otto and Vivika, both in art and marriage, spanned nearly 50 years. Over those years they supported themselves working as teachers and potters, sharing generously of their knowledge and skill. They represent what is best in craftsmen: excellence in workmanship along with dedication and consistency. Otto is noted for his throwing style and meticulously crafted pots, while Vivika‟s work is more delicate. Both are renowned for their glaze work, most recently the stunning high-temperature yellow glaze they were working to develop at the time of Vivika‟s death and which Otto completed. Otto Heino continued to live and work on their property in Ojai, CA, remaining active in the ceramic community, until his death in 2009. The legacy that will be left by the Heinos is twofold: the large body of their work which played an important role in the development of U.S. ceramic art and the hundreds of students they taught who have gone on to play their own part in American ceramics. ARTIST’S STATEMENT – OTTO HEINO “Clay is the earth; it‟s alive. It‟s the only live material artists can work with. I let it decide what it will be.”1 1. Quoted in: “Ojai Studio Artists.” http://www.ojaistudioartists.com/artist_pages/heino.html ARTIST’S STATEMENT – VIVIKA HEINO “Pottery, if it is to be of any lasting value, must have life…How is this „life‟ achieved in one‟s work? It is the result of the combination of two factors: the completeness of craftsmanship and the expression of the individuality of the potter.”1 1. Quoted in: “In Remembrance of Vivika.” http://www.ottospottery.com/vivika.html RESUME – OTTO HEINO 1915 Born, East Hampton, CT 194_ -1948 U.S. Air Force 1949 League of New Hampshire Arts and Crafts, Concord, NH 1950 Otto Heino and Vivika Timeriasieff married 1952 Studio Potter, Los Angeles, CA 1955 Professor of Ceramics, Chouinard Art Institute, Los Angeles, CA Diplôme d‟honeur, International Academy of Ceramics, Cannes, France 1963 Studio Artist, Hopkinton, NH 1973-2009 Studio Artist, Ojai, CA 1978 Gold Medal, Sixth Biennial International de Ceramique, Vallauris, France 2009 Died, Ojai, CA RESUME – VIVIKA HEINO 1910 Born, Caledonia, NY (maiden name: Vivien Place) 1928-1931 Rochester City Normal School 1931-1932 Elementary Teacher 1932-1933 B.A., Fine Arts, Colorado College of Education, CO (now the University of Northern Colorado) 1934- Various part-time positions in California Began study of pottery with Jalanovich and Olsen 1940 Summer school, University of Southern California Lab Assistant for Glen Lukens 1942 Ceramics Instructor, Presidio Hill School, CA 1944 M.F.A., Low-Fire Ceramics, New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred University, Alfred, NY 1944- Studio Artist, New York 194_ -1950 Instructor, League of New Hampshire Craftsman 1950 Married Otto Heino 1952-1955 Ceramics Instructor, University of Southern California 1955 Ceramics Instructor, Chouinard Art Institute, Los Angeles, CA 1963-1973 Instructor, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI 1973-1995 Studio artist, Ojai, CA 1978 Apprentice Fellowship Advisory Panel, National Endowment for the Arts 1995 Died, Ojai, CA BIOGRAPHY – OTTO & VIVIKA HEINO Otto Heino was born in East Hampton, CT, the son of Finnish immigrants who arrived in Boston for a visit and never went back. His father was a farmer - market gardening and dairy cattle - and all of the children helped in the work. When World War II broke out, Otto was drafted, serving with the United States Air force as a gunner on a B-17 bomber. He was primarily stationed in Europe, and during his leaves he took classes that were offered in jewelry making and silverwork. He also visited some potteries, including Bernard Leach‟s pottery and was impressed with the work being done there. Later he visited some German potteries where the potters were using oxidation and was intrigued with the color it produced. When he returned to the U.S. after the war, he used the GI Bill to study ceramics at the League of New Hampshire Arts and Crafts in Concord, NH. One of the teachers was Vivika Timiriasieff who would soon become his wife. Vivika Heino was born Vivien Place in Caledonia, NY. Growing up she enjoyed art projects, but there was no formal art instruction in the schools. After high school she wanted to study art but her father had died, it was during the Depression, and instead she attended Rochester Normal School and trained for elementary education. It was not how she wanted to spend her life, and when, after a year of teaching, she had the chance to go to Colorado, she took the opportunity. She enrolled in the Colorado College of Education (now the University of Northern Colorado); using the credits she had accumulated from the normal school, she took the remaining credits needed for a bachelor‟s degree in art classes, graduating with a B.A. in 1933. Rather than returning home, she headed for California where she worked in a variety of positions including bookbinding, puppetry, and other crafts, first in Los Angeles and then in San Francisco. During the time in San Francisco she married Ivan Timiriasieff, who gave her her first kiln, and worked at Swedish Applied Arts. The practice there was for everyone to have a Swedish name and Vivien became Vivika, a name she kept. She began taking classes at the California School of Fine Arts to pursue her studies while continuing to support herself with various part-time jobs and finally teaching at a private school. She left California to enroll in Alfred University where she earned her M.A. in 1944, the second master‟s graduate from the ceramics program. She moved to New York where she set up a studio and began teaching again. A short time later she moved to Concord, NH to take over the teaching position vacated by the Sheiers at the League of New Hampshire Arts and Crafts, and there met Otto Heino. They were married in 1950. The Heinos moved to California in 1952, setting up a studio on Hoover Street in Los Angeles, Vivika replacing Glen Lukens in the ceramics department at the University of Southern California while he went on sabbatical. She stayed there three years, leaving in 1955 for the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles where she stayed for eight years. While Otto did some teaching during this time, he worked primarily as a studio potter. In 1963 the Heinos returned to New Hampshire, reopening their home and studio in Hopkinton. Vivika had been asked to teach at the Rhode Island School of Design and she accepted for a two year period; Otto continued to work full time as a studio potter. Vivika was asked to set up a ceramics department in New England College which she did, signing an eight year contract to develop what she believed would be a Craft Department there. At this point, settled in their studio with what Vivika considered an ideal job, the Heinos thought they would never move again. However, their good friend Beatrice Wood wrote them that it was becoming hard for her to maintain her home and studio in Ojai, CA. Initially reluctant, the Heinos decided to buy Wood‟s property and return to California, primarily because the mild, dry weather was much easier for potters and the cost of fuel was so much less. In time they came to appreciate what they felt was the freer artistic climate as well and a larger populace interested in the arts. The Heinos remained in Ojai, operating a pottery where they produced both functional and decorative pieces as well as architectural commissions. The couple worked together as a team from the time of their marriage in 1950 until Vivika‟s death in 1995, supporting themselves with their art throughout the entire time. Their work was signed “Vivika+Otto” regardless of which one had actually worked on the pot. At the time of Vivika‟s death, they had spent over ten years trying to develop a high temperature yellow glaze; Otto continued the work and, when he was finally successful, dedicated its discovery to Vivika. Otto Heino continued to live and work at The Pottery until his death in 2009. The Heinos were part of the movement that redefined ceramic art. They were influenced by Japanese pottery as well as the Bauhaus artists of Germany. Unlike some of the California ceramic artists of the 1950‟s and 1960‟s, the Heinos stayed with traditional, functional pottery, and the stunning bowls, platters, and tiles attest to both their artistry and mastery. They are noted not only for the clean lines and elegant shapes but in particular for the richness of the color and variety of their glaze work. Otto‟s is admired for his throwing style while Vivika‟s work was more delicate. Both generously shared their vast knowledge of clays and glazes through teaching, articles, and participation in the ceramic world. Their contributions to ceramic art have been recognized world-wide. Otto received a gold medal from the Sixth Biennial International de Ceramique at Vallauris, France in 1978 as well as a Diplôme d‟Honeur from the International Academy of Ceramics, Cannes, France in 1955. He is a Fellow of the American Craft Council and an Honorary Member of the American Ceramic Society and the National Council on Education for Ceramic Arts. Vivika was appointed to the Apprentice Fellowship Advisory Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts in 1978. She was an organizer of the Southern California Designer Craftsmen and also a trustee for the southwestern region of the American Craft Council.