John Fassbinder at the Claremont Heritage Foundation
John Fassbinder was my first ceramics professor in 1981 at Pomona College. While he was quite adept at throwing I was always enamored with his glazing techniques. I was not very familiar with Chinese style painting, nor the brushes used. He was simply amazing in his oxide decorations.
I was saddened to hear of his passing a couple of years ago.
John studied at the University of Washington before attending The Claremont Graduate University. I recently learned that he was classmates at Washington with my son's ceramics professor at Bellevue College - Lars Husby.
One fond memory I have was find out that John had spent a good deal of time in the Seabeck area on Hood Canal. This was coincidentally right near where my parents had purchased their lot for their vacation cabin. I visited John's daughter one day in Claremont, probably a decade ago and saw some Fassbinder family photographs that I could pinpoint their exact location.
On the left is a pretty good sized bowl that was recently up for auction.
A classic Fassbinder plate.
Below is the postcard advertising a retrospective exhibition of his pottery and watercolors at the Genger Elliot Exhibition Center at the Claremont Heritage Center.
This footed soup tureen by John was on the cover of Ceramics Monthly in 1974.
