George E. Ohr

George Edgar Ohr (1857-1918), the 'Mad Potter of Biloxi.' Born in Biloxi, Mississippi. Self-taught eccentric genius — built his own wheel, kiln, and shop for $26.80. Dug red clay from the Tchoutacabouffa River. Created thousands of wafer-thin pots with crumpled, twisted, folded forms and wild multi-colored glazes, decades ahead of his time. Called himself 'the greatest art potter on earth.' Refused to sell individual pieces, wanted collection sold as one lot. Created ~7,000 pieces 1895-1905, stored in crates in his sons' auto repair garage for 50 years after he quit potting in 1909. Rediscovered 1968 by antiques dealer James Carpenter. Now hailed as 'the Picasso of art pottery' — pots sell for $20,000-$60,000+. Collectors include Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Steven Spielberg, Jack Nicholson. Smithsonian collections. Ryan learned about Ohr from a potter friend (Michigan/Mississippi connection) who is a big George Ohr devotee. | Apprenticed under Joseph Fortune Meyer in New Orleans. Ran pottery in Biloxi 1883-1907. Collections: Smithsonian, Met. Frank Gehry designed Ohr-O'Keefe Museum.