Bound To Stay Bound

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 Mad potter : George E. Ohr, eccentric genius
 Author: Greenberg, Jan

 Publisher:  Roaring Brook Press (2013)

 Dewey: 738.092
 Classification: Biography
 Physical Description: 53 p., ill. (chiefly col.), 26 cm.

 BTSB No: 397756 ISBN: 9781596438101
 Ages: 8-12 Grades: 3-7

 Subjects:
 Ohr, George E., -- 1857-1918
 Potters
 Art pottery

Price: $6.50

Summary:
From family bad boy to artistic genius, follow the life of the world's most enigmatic and eccentric potter, George Ohr.

 Added Entry - Personal Name: Jordan, Sandra
Accelerated Reader Information:
   Interest Level: MG
   Reading Level: 6.90
   Points: 1.0   Quiz: 162301
Reading Counts Information:
   Interest Level: 3-5
   Reading Level: 8.60
   Points: 4.0   Quiz: 62993

Reviews:
   Kirkus Reviews (10/01/13)
   School Library Journal (+) (09/01/13)
   Booklist (+) (11/01/13)
 The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (12/13)
 The Hornbook (00/01/14)

Full Text Reviews:

School Library Journal - 09/01/2013 Gr 5–8—Ohr was a homegrown genius and the greatest artist potter on Earth, or so he claimed, and while dismissed by many as a self-promoting eccentric (he was that), much of what he declared about himself is recognized as true today. His pottery, notably inventive in its shapes, textures, and glazes, became more experimental and free-flowing in form after 1894, when fire destroyed his kiln. While clearly distinct, Ohr's art was not outsider; he subscribed to the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement, and for a short time worked with Joseph Meyer furnishing pottery for the women of The Ladies' Decorative Arts League in New Orleans. But Ohr was quirky, flamboyant, and a Biloxi, Mississippi, tourist attraction; he had a bushy handlebar mustache that he could wrap around his ears, and he was often difficult. The authors do an excellent job describing this larger-than-life character through quotes and plentiful color photos of his pottery, or "mud babies" as he referred to his creations. Of particular interest are the archival sepia photos, including the two large, double-page images depicting the artist in his barnlike studio with piles and piles of his work-and several children-about, that open and close the book. A one-page guide on "How to Look at a Pot" examines a decorative piece with reference to texture, color, form, line, and expression. Extensive source notes round out this nicely designed, fascinating introduction to the master craftsman and art pottery.—Daryl Grabarek, School Library Journal - Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 11/01/2013 *Starred Review* Chances are you have never heard of George Ohr (1857–1918) of Biloxi, Mississippi. An eccentric who called himself The Mad Potter, he created wheel-thrown pots that he pinched and bent, curved and rippled, wrinkled and dimpled into distinctive shapes before adding original glazes. When those pots didn’t sell, he continued to make them, while supporting his family by producing useful wares and amusing knickknacks. Ohr’s flamboyant personality and preposterous advertising drew tourists to his studio but earned him disdain in the art community. Still, he believed that future generations would recognize his genius. And oddly enough, they did. Rediscovered in the 1970s, his highly praised art pottery is now displayed in museums, including one designed by Frank Gehry and dedicated to Ohr’s work. The artist comes to life in this clearly written narrative, full of well-chosen details and anecdotes. Fine vintage photos show Ohr at work and with his family. Viewers accustomed to the usually staid photographs from the period will be amused by pictures in which Ohr’s tomfoolery and bravado are as evident as his wild mustache. Throughout the book, color photos of his art pottery remind readers that Ohr’s story is worth telling not just because it’s entertaining, but because his pots are unique and beautiful. This informative introduction to the artist who made them closes with exemplary back matter that will help readers of all ages approach art with enthusiasm and confidence. - Copyright 2013 Booklist.

Bulletin for the Center... - 12/01/2013 Greenberg and Jordan, art chroniclers extraordinaire, continue their tour of American originals with this compact introduction to American potter George Ohr. A Barnum-esque eccentric, Ohr became a “Pot-Ohr,” as he punningly termed himself, in the late nineteenth century, opening a shop in Mississippi he called “The Biloxi Art Pottery Unlimited.” His inventive hand-formed pots were out of touch with the style of the time, however, so he eked out a living with novelties and teaching; it was only long after his death, when an antiques dealer discovered his wares in the 1970s and their reputation grew, that his art was finally accorded the respect he always felt it deserved. Ohr is a magnetic character, a rollicking self-promoter whose publicity generation was as entertaining as his work was artful, and the authors do their usual excellent job at both embedding him in the context of the age and making clear how he transcended it. The elegant layout plays gently with font, using an aged-print period style for occasional quotes and emphasis. Sepia-toned photographs of Ohr himself, in vigorous and goofy images very different from usual images of the period, are also included along with sharp portraits most contemporary of his gleaming pottery. With an endless inventiveness and range of style that runs from Nouveau-touched fancies to crumply organic shapes, the pottery will likely be eye-opening for kids who didn’t realize that pots could be made to do that. The authors include a generous complement of addenda, including information about the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum in Biloxi; a very helpful overview of how to artistically assess pottery; a compact description of how to make, fire, and glaze a pot; and a bibliography and endnotes. DS - Copyright 2013 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

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