Elizabeth Lissaman (New Zealand) ceramics

Elizabeth Hazel Lissaman, born on October 11, 1901, in Blenheim, New Zealand, developed a strong interest in pottery during her school years. Despite a lack of contacts in the field, she pursued her passion. In 1921, Lissaman stayed with her grandmother in Sydney, Australia, where she sought knowledge from libraries, brickworks, and fellow beginner potters. She learned about clay preparation, pottery wheels, throwing techniques, glazing, decorating, and kiln building and firing.

 Upon her return to New Zealand in 1922, Lissaman set up a studio on her parents' farm. She sourced terracotta clay from The Elevation near Picton, transported it to her studio, and developed a unique pottery wheel with the help of her father, brothers, and friends. She ordered ceramic materials from England and waited months for their arrival.

 When electricity became available in the mid-1920s, Lissaman switched from coal to an oil-fired kiln and added more... an electric drive to her wheel. She held her first exhibition at the Winter Show in Christchurch in 1927. In 1930, she married Henry Francis Hall and had three children.

 Lissaman crafted various domestic ware items such as mugs, jugs, bowls, and plates. While much of her work served utilitarian purposes, she also created intricately decorated pieces intended as standalone objects. Her designs showed similarities to low-temperature majolica ware, but she had already established her unique style before her 1958 European travels.

 In 1966, the family relocated to Morrinsville, where Lissaman had a custom-built studio with an electric kiln. She made her last wheel-thrown pots at Crathie Rest Home in Tauranga in 1990, after nearly 70 years of pottery and multiple relocations.

 Lissaman received honorary life membership from the New Zealand Society of Potters in 1965 and was appointed an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in 1982 for her contributions to pottery. She passed away in Cambridge, New Zealand, on February 18, 1991. less...