the country, and the school expanded course offerings to include metalwork, textiles, and bookbinding. Designers modulated the popular blue and green tones, and produced a surprising range within a limited palette. Also during this time, ceramicist Joseph Meyer experimented with reduction fired copper- red glazes that ranged from iridescent to brilliant red. In 1910, pottery decorating instructor Mary Sheerer and ceramicist Paul Cox successfully …a beautiful art is developed a new transparent matt glaze, which became the school’s standard. developing which is the expression of its environment The story of the Newcomb Pottery began just after the 1914–1930: The as truly as each vase is the individual Civil War—a time when the American South struggled Beginnings of Modernism to reinvent itself. American women were beginning a The Roaring Twenties saw an expansion expression of one woman who has found herself. long road toward suffrage and self-determination. In of the world economy, growing freedoms for women, and new artistic styles. In m Ednah Robinson, “Newcomb Pottery,” Sunset, Southern Pacific Company, the decades to follow, the Newcomb Pottery enterprise 1925, influenced by her trip to Paris, Mary Passenger Dept., vol. 11, 1903 emerged as a quietly radical experiment—an unprecedented Sheerer advocated for the angular forms of opportunity for Southern women to train as artists and the Art Deco style, while founder Ellsworth Women, Art, and Social Change: The ABOVE: Platter of Gulf Stream ware, c. 1942–48. support themselves financially. Working as a collective, the Woodward remained committed to the Newcomb Pottery Enterprise, an exhibition Sarah A.E. “Sadie” Irvine, decorator; Kenneth Smith enterprise produced a rich body of work—not only world- older romantic aesthetic. Bestsellers at created and organized by Newcomb or Francis Ford, potter. Newcomb Art Collection, Newcomb continued to be the naturalistic Art Museum, Tulane University, and Tulane University. renowned pottery, but also metalwork, textiles, bookbinding, images celebrating the Deep South, such the Smithsonian Institution Traveling as the tonal, hazy “moon and moss” motif Exhibition Service (SITES), was made COVER: Pitcher with pomegranate and leaf cross- jewelry, and other handicrafts. possible in part through the generous section design, c. 1900–1905. Gertrude Roberts Smith, invented by Sadie Irvine. Another motif, support of Henry Luce Foundation and an decorator; Joseph Meyer, potter. Underglaze painting 1890s: The Early Years glazes, although there was also the Español, appeared in the mid-1920s, award from the National Endowment for with glossy glaze. Louisiana State University Museum experimentation with other techniques, and was based on Ellsworth Woodward’s the Arts, Art Works. of Art, Baton Rouge; gift of the Friends of the LSU Emerging out of the British Arts and Crafts influenced by Delftware, as well as Museum of Art. discovery of a Spanish colonial-era mantel Movement, the pottery enterprise was Chinese and Japanese motifs. By the turn in the French Quarter. Newcomb Art Museum INTERIOR FLAP, LEFT: Archival photograph, founded by Newcomb College faculty of the century, Newcomb increasingly Tulane University c. 1903. Newcomb decorators and Joseph Meyer in members Ellsworth Woodward, a painter featured sage green and cobalt blue color New Orleans, LA 70118 Pottery enterprise studio, Newcomb Pottery building, and draftsman, and Mary Sheerer, a Washington Avenue campus. University photography schemes under clear lead glazes. 1930–1948: newcombartmuseum.tulane.edu album, University Archives, Tulane University. ceramicist hired to teach china painting. The Closing Chapter Female graduates of the Newcomb Art INTERIOR FLAP, RIGHT: Two-handled jar with bull Department were employed to design 1900–1914: In its final decade, Newcomb artists shifted tongue arrowhead design, c. 1898. Esther Huger pottery and paint china, (and later execute away from naturalistic scenes, and moved Elliott, decorator; Joseph Meyer, potter. Underglaze The Growth Years painting with glossy glaze. Newcomb Art Collection, original jewelry, needlework, metalwork, toward a more modernist aesthetic. Though Tulane University; purchased through the Mignon and book binding), the best pieces of With the new century came a new look the familiar romantic subjects continued Faget Acquisition Fund. which were sold as Newcomb Pottery. for Newcomb Pottery, guided by the to sell well, artists also depicted highly Early students experimented with a wide influential writings of American designer abstracted scenes of the Gulf South region. The exhibition runs from July 29 range of motifs and techniques. A key Arthur W. Dow. From his school in A final phase, known as the “Newcomb through November 6, 2016, at the Frist tenet of the Arts and Crafts movement Ipswich, Massachusetts, where many Guild,” continued from 1940–1948. Potters Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville. was retaining a regional sensibility, so Newcomb students traveled to study, Dow shifted from using detailed carved design Southern flora and fauna were always encouraged the study of tonal gradation to a more austere, mid-century Modernist the focus. Popular motifs included cross- and the use of distinct outlines and flat approach that emphasized the vessel form sections of Southern plants, and winged patterns. In 1900, Newcomb earned and the qualities of the glaze itself. The insects circling around a light. The pottery international acclaim with a bronze medal legacy of Newcomb is the continuing spirit 919 Broadway from this period was distinguished by at Paris’ Exposition Universelle. This of self-actualization and artistic exploration Nashville, TN 37203 bright underglaze colors and transparent success brought in students from across that inspires artists to this day. fristcenter.org Archival photograph, n.d. Art Students in the And slowly, month by month, as the Popular Flora Newcomb Artists: A Closer Look metalwork studio of the and Fauna of Newcomb Art School, vagaries of the kiln were brought under Broadway Street campus. Newcomb Pottery Newcomb Art Scrapbook, control and the mysterious interrelation University Archives, Tulane University. of pastes and glazes mastered through repeated failure, tragedies grew steadily

rarer and success each day more sure. Magnolia (genus Harriet Joor, Newcomb artist, July 1910 Magnolia) This genus includes m over 200 flowering plant species, but the most common blossom to Harriet Joor Louisiana and the state flower is the Southern Magnolia, or Magnolia grandiflora. After receiving a Bachelor of Science from The velvety white blossom was popular with Newcomb Newcomb College in 1895, Harriet Joor craftswomen, as it evokes romanticism and old southern charm. enrolled as an art student from 1896 to 1900 and as a graduate art student from Rosalie Roos Wiener Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) Native to the southeastern U.S., 1900 to 1901. She was one of the first the live oak is a quintessential icon of the Old South. Oaks still thrive on Newcomb students to attend Arthur Dow’s Rosalie Roos entered Newcomb College Newcomb College’s Broadway campus, and some say the trees were grown summer school in Ipswich, Massachusetts. as a freshman in 1923. In her sophomore from acorns taken from the original Washington Avenue campus in 1918. In the early 1900s she was an active year, she married, and later took classes Newcomb Pottery designer, and worked part-time but never graduated from the art Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) The blue crab’s scientific name comes from in Chicago from 1906 to 1920. In 1920, school. In 1930, she received the Molley the Greek words for “beautiful swimmer” and “savory.” Native to the waters she moved to Washington, D.C. where she Palfrey prize in metalwork, awarded to of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, blue crabs have significant culinary Amelie & Desirée Roman was employed as a reconstructive aide the most skillful of undergraduates. From and economic importance to Louisiana. and handicrafts instructor at Walter Reed 1930 to 1938, she worked as an Art Cornerstones of the Newcomb crafts Hospital. She moved back to Louisiana Craftsman at the Pottery. At the outbreak Crepe Myrtle (genus Lagerstroemia) Native to the Indian subcontinent and program, sisters Desirée and Amelie in 1923, to teach at the University of of World War II, Roos volunteered for southeast Asia, the crepe myrtle is a genus of around 50 species that thrives were members of the Saturday Drawing Southwestern Louisiana (now University of the Navy, and was one of ten female in the humid Louisiana air. The small blossoms, in vibrant hues of pink, class between 1885 and 1887. Desirée Lafayette, Louisiana), and retired in 1940. members of the Motor Corps service. purple, or white, cover the tree in the heat of the summer months with a She returned to Tulane in 1948 to study Mary Williams Butler was one of two art graduates to receive a Plate with cactus design, c. 1903. Harriet Coulter Joor, crinkly texture reminiscent of crepe paper. diploma in Normal Art at the college’s first decorator; Joseph Meyer, potter. Incised; underglaze architecture. Known for launching the metalwork Sadie Irvine with glossy glaze. Newcomb Art Collection, Tulane commencement in 1890. She continued Amethyst set in hand-wrought gold ring, c. 1928–33. Louisiana Iris (genus Iris) Refers to any one of five iris species that are University; gift of Mrs. Arthur L. (Harriet) Jung, Jr., program, Mary Williams Butler received to work at Newcomb as the Pottery’s Moderne design. Rosalie Roos Wiener, artist. native to Louisiana. Louisiana irises are beardless, unlike older varieties A New Orleans native, Irvine received a N ’40. her diploma from Newcomb College bookkeeper, then as a pottery and sales Newcomb Art Collection, Tulane University. indigenous to the temperate zones of Europe and the arid regions of Africa diploma in art in 1906, and studied as a in 1901 and worked as an instructor agent. Amelie’s initials appear on some of and Asia. Louisiana irises were first documented by John James Audubon in graduate student for the next two years. and later a professor in drawing and the Pottery’s earliest and most successful the 1820s. From 1908 to 1929, she was an Art design. She continued her training hand-painted pieces, and she attended Craftsman at the Pottery, and worked for with Harvard design theorist Denman Dow’s prestigious summer school at Cypress (Taxodium distichum) The indigenous bald cypress is Louisiana’s the college from 1929 to 1952. Irvine won Ross and at the Kalo Shop, a renowned Ipswich. Amelie worked first as an state tree and is often seen overgrown with Spanish moss (Tillandsia numerous awards for her watercolors, Chicago silversmith. When she died in instructor, then as an assistant professor usneoides). Known for their ability to grow in water, cypress trees can reach block prints, and pottery decoration and 1937, Newcomb College suspended of drawing and design at Newcomb. Both up to 100 feet, and prosper along the marshy Louisiana coastline. received several scholarships, including classes for the day to honor her 40-year women retired by 1940. commitment. to Dow’s Ipswich summer school and the Mug with rabbits in a forest design, c. 1902. Amelie Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Silver necklace with moonstone and pendant, Roman, decorator; Joseph Meyer, potter. Underglaze LEFT: Vase with Louisiana iris design, TOP: Plate with blue crab design, c. 1929. Hand-wrought chain with cut-out “NBM” painting with glossy glaze. Collection of Caren Fine. Candlesticks with butterfly design, c. 1926. c. 1905. Roberta Beverly Kennon, c. 1904. Sabina Elliot Wells, (Nellie Mae Bartlett) monogram. Attributed to Mary Sarah A.E. “Sadie” Irvine, decorator; Joseph Meyer, decorator; Joseph Meyer, potter. Incised; decorator; Joseph Meyer, potter. Williams Butler. Newcomb Art Collection, Tulane potter. Low-relief carving; underglaze underglaze with glossy glaze. Newcomb Incised; underglaze with glossy glaze. University; gift of Mrs. Harry B. “Jack” Kelleher. with matte glaze. Collection of Caren Fine. Art Collection, Tulane University. Two Red Roses Foundation.