22 Facts About Don Reitz

Donald Lester Reitz was an American ceramic artist, recognized for inspiring a reemergence of salt glaze pottery in United States.

In 1982, Reitz was in a serious car accident involving a truck and was hospitalized for several months.

In 2007, Don Reitz suffered a heart attack and would undergo close to a dozen surgeries, including a valve replacement.

Don Reitz continued producing works with the help of studio assistants.

Don Reitz died on March 19,2014, at the age of 84 of heart failure and was eulogized by The New York Times and the American Craft Council.

Don Reitz's works are featured in several museums including the Smithsonian Institution, American Museum of Ceramic Art, and Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Don Reitz was born on November 7,1929, in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, just over a week after Black Tuesday.

Don Reitz was raised in Belvidere, New Jersey and graduated from Belvidere High School in 1948.

Don Reitz later had several other occupations including working as a butcher.

Don Reitz spent his days as a butcher and would paint at night.

Don Reitz went to Kutztown State Teachers College, where he studied abstract expressionism and only discovered his passion for working on the potter's wheel in his last semester.

Don Reitz graduated from the college in 1957 with a bachelor's degree in art education.

Don Reitz went on to attend New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University.

Don Reitz took over teaching ceramics, a position that had become available when Harvey Littleton, the previous ceramics teacher, had instead began a glass program at the university.

Early in this period, Don Reitz began exploring other forms of pottery, moving beyond the functional tableware.

In 1982, Don Reitz was involved in a serious truck accident.

Don Reitz was hospitalized for several months, at which time, he began a mail correspondence with his niece Sara.

Don Reitz began incorporating her drawings in his ceramics, "tracing them into large platters of clay" and other ceramic vessels.

Don Reitz was named on Ceramics Monthly's list of "greatest living ceramic artists worldwide" in 1988 and 2001.

Don Reitz would take elements they molded in cylindrical shapes, modify and assemble them into abstract sculptures, statuettes and table top pieces.

Don Reitz died of heart failure on March 19,2014, at his residence in Clarkdale; he was 84 years old.

Don Reitz's works are featured in several museums including the Smithsonian Institution's Renwick Gallery in Washington, DC, American Museum of Ceramic Art, Museum of Arts and Design, High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia and Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.