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Media Contact: JZMcBride and Associates, 513-231-5115, Tim Sansbury or Lisa Biank Fasig
An Exhibition of Classic Tiles From the Collections of Rookwood Pottery
Date: 2/06/2012
An exhibition featuring classic tiles from the collection of Rookwood Pottery, “History Under Fire,” will open at the Miami University Voice of America Learning Center.
OPENING RECEPTION
2 to 5 pm
Sunday • February 19 Free & Open to the Public
Gallery Talk by
Jim Robinson, Rookwood Pottery Glaze Chemist at 3 pm in the Auditorium
EXHIBITION DATES
February 19 to April 13
8 am to 9 pm • Monday to Thursday 8 am to 5 pm • Friday
Maria Longworth Nichols founded the Rookwood Pottery Company in 1880, beginning a tradition of ceramic excellence that continues today, more than 120 years later.
Within ten years of its founding, Rookwood Pottery received international recognition for both their artistic quality and the new techniques for firing and glazing. Soon Rookwood tiles graced the walls of Grand Central Station in New York, West Point Military Academy, museum collections around the world, and countless homes.
Drawing on more than 3,000 molds in their archive, and the ongoing work of outstanding contemporary artists and glaziers, Rookwood today continues the legacy of Maria Nichols.
This exhibition includes tiles depicting nature as well as historical designs and cityscapes, drawn from Rookwood’s historical and expanding collection of great works.
7847 VOA Park Drive
Corner of Cox Rd and VOA Park Drive West Chester, OH 45069
www.muohio.edu/voalc
(513) 895-8862
An Exhibition of Classic Tiles From the Collections of Rookwood Pottery: READ MORE >
Christian Moerlein commissions Rookwood steins
Date: 2/03/2012
If you’re going to drink a beer brewed in Cincinnati, you might as well be sipping from a stein made in the Queen City, too.
The Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. has commissioned the production of a limited edition Rookwood Pottery stein to commemorate the opening of the Moerlein Lager House. The stein, pictured to the right prior to stain and glazing, will be unveiled Feb. 25 at the grand opening for the 15,000-square-foot brew house and restaurant.
Pictured on the stein are images of the new Moerlein Lager House in Smale Riverfront Park, a street scene of the original Christian Moerlein Brewery, and early Cincinnati riverfront images including a paddlewheel and a cobblestone road.
Read more at Cincinnati Business Courier.
Christian Moerlein commissions Rookwood steins : READ MORE >
Management Changes at Rookwood
Date: 1/23/2012
Lisa Biank Fasig lisa@jzmcbride.com 513-231-5115
The Rookwood Pottery Co. has announced that CEO Chip DeMois has departed the company and plans to return to his consultancy practice.
Chip, a turnaround expert who joined Rookwood in January 2011 to revive the company, has succeeded in doing so, transforming Rookwood from a struggling small business to a thriving enterprise entering new markets and industries. Rookwood today is profitable, hiring and expanding, thanks to Chip.
Martin Wade, chairman and owner of Rookwood Pottery, will run the day-to-day business while seeking a successor who can continue progress toward restoring Rookwood to its iconic status.
“We brought Chip in one year ago with the challenge to make Rookwood Pottery profitable again, and he has done that and much more,” Wade, who owns Rookwood with his wife, Marilyn, said. “With Chip’s talent and vision, Rookwood is now involved in several exciting projects that underscore its reputation as historic maker of one-of-a-kind, handcrafted architectural tile and art pottery.”
Among Rookwood’s recent and coming projects:
* Rookwood has been invited to attend the International Gift Fair in New York, Jan. 27, which will be attended by 35,000 merchant representatives
* Rookwood has been selected to produce the award trophies for the World Choir Games, July 2012
* In December, Rookwood introduced its first holiday line in 50 years, including collectible cardinal ornaments of which it sold 1,650
* Rookwood, through collaboration with Aurora Casket, is producing a line of funeral urns, returning to the urn business for the first time since the 1940s.
“Martin and Marilyn Wade have become active in running the business and I applaud their participation,” Chip said. “They enjoy Rookwood, are hands-on beyond the call of duty, and have gone above and beyond to support the company. The revival phase is done and they are taking it from here.”
Find Us on Pinterest!
Date: 1/16/2012
To keep up with our latest products and the best ideas in design, home decorating and corporate gifts, find us on our new Pinterest page.
So Cincinnati: Rookwood Pottery
Date: 1/06/2012
When the Antiques Roadshow makes a stop in Cincinnati later this year, you can bet people will bring in a boatload of Rookwood Pottery. The Cincinnati company created the American art pottery market and is a favorite local collectible. But for years, Rookwood's kilns went cold. They recently fired things back up and have given new life to a company that is "So Cincinnati". Local 12's Joe Webb has the story.
In the Cincinnati wing of the art museum, there is a room dedicated to Rookwood Pottery. Vases of vases with intricate designs, colors and patterns all created by local artists using new techniques developed right here. " It's human nature to think nothing great can happen in your own backyard but Rookwood is something great that happened in our backyard."
In 1880, Maria Longworth Nichols built a factory in Mount Adams that fired up the art world. It's now the Rookwood restaurant with the beehive kilns still dominating the space. here, artists, designers and chemists revolutionized pottery forever. "Cincinnati is considered the cradle of American Art Pottery. It all began here."
Read the rest of the story here.
Chicago Tribune Gives Nod to Rookwood’s Restoration Efforts in Monroe Building
Date: 12/15/2011
James Pritzker to restore, open Frank Lloyd Wright's Emil Bach House, Melissa Harris' Chicago Confidential, Chicago Tribune
The Rookwood Pottery Co. was mentioned as an integral part of restoration efforts to Chicago’s Monroe Building on South Michigan Avenue. Retired Col. James Pritzker is spearheading the restoration effort.
Here’s an excerpt from the article:
The team has ordered about 100,000 tiles from Rookwood and asked the company to re-create the crackling in the originals. The glaze on crackled tile features an intricate web of lines, making it appear old and shattered, but sometimes the style is intentional.
"It was not only creating the crackle, but do we want thick crackle or thin crackle?" said Chip DeMois, Rookwood's chief executive, who said Pritzker is the company's largest customer. "On top of that, the original tiles had accumulated years of dust and dirt, so we needed to darken the new tile to match that. We started out using dark tea, but that didn't work. So now we dip each tile in India ink."
Read the rest of the article here.
Chicago Tribune Gives Nod to Rookwood’s Restoration Efforts in Monroe Building: READ MORE >
Rookwood Ornaments at the Cincinnati Art Museum
Date: 12/14/2011
Rookwood Ornaments at the Cincinnati Art Museum: READ MORE >
Rookwood Pottery Out of the Fire
Date: 12/12/2011
A year after an uncertain 2010 holiday, company has turned around
As a fight over Rookwood’s ownership wound its way through the courts last year, DeMois’s team of world-class artists were quietly turning things around. Martin and Marilyn Wade became sole owners of the company in August and agreed to fund its operations through 2012. But DeMois expects to turn a profit sooner. He’ll grow the company seven-fold in five years; fifteen-fold in 10.
Armed with $1 million from the Wades, DeMois purchased state-of-the-art equipment to boost production. He hired at least 20 new artists, engineers and salespeople. The team published its first catalogue in 100 years to help a new national sales force meet more aggressive targets. In mid-November, they had 17 active restoration projects and commissions – including a $1 million historic tile restoration in Chicago, a new line of cremation urns and a $25,000 custom-made tiled urinal for a Montana ranch.
Read the rest of the article here.
Cincinnati Art Museum Limited Edition Tile
Date: 11/11/2011
Friday, November 11 - Sunday, November 13
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, in the Art Museum Front Lobby
Rookwood is unveiling our own Cincinnati Art Museum limited edition tile. A true heirloom piece, it is not only an exceptional gift, but a must-have collectible. You can acquire other fine pieces handcrafted by Cincinnati artisans and made with the same attention to detail given to Rookwood Pottery creations from years ago.
Rookwood joins the Pendleton Art Center
Date: 10/28/2011
We are opening a new retail and showroom location at the Pendleton Art Center in the second annex. As a preview, we will be selling our product at this Final Friday from 6pm-10pm, and Second Look Saturday from 11:00am- 3pm. This serves as a great time to get started on the Holiday shopping. We are very excited to join Pendleton, and we hope to see you at our very first Final Friday.
