The Mad Potter of Biloxi

Before the artist Salvador Dali became known for his eccentric persona, there was George Ohr the self-proclaimed Mad Potter of Biloxi. The highest praise accorded his work during his lifetime came from himself. He described it as "unequaled, undisputed, unrivaled, the greatest art pottery in the world." He is best known for his work from 1895-1905. Like Dali, George Ohr cultivated his eccentric personality as a form of marketing. Also like Dali, he sported a wacky mustache. His was 18 inches long, wrapped around his cheeks and tied behind his head.

When his work was finally "discovered" many years after his death, it was considered ground-breaking. He had achieved porcelain-thin walls from clay he dug himself in southern Mississippi. His glazes were colorful and unexpected. But the most astounding characteristic of Ohr's pottery was the shape. Now his work looks thoroughly modern. His work is held in such esteem that the famous architect Frank O. Gehry was commissioned to design the Ohr-O'Keefe museum of Art in Biloxi which houses a large collection of George Ohr's vessels.

 To learn more about George Ohr go to smithsonianmag.com

--Lynn Conaway