not the mad hatter…he’s the mad potter

The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius, by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan
published in 2013 by Roaring Brook Press

Just take a look at this drop-dead gorgeous pottery:

When would you guess these were made? 1960’s? Maybe a little earlier?Would you believe between about 1890 and 1910?!

And would you believe this guy was the mad-genius potter?

That’s George Ohr. The story of his outsized personality, phenomenal artistic ability, abysmal sales, and finally, long after his death, surprising rocket to fame, is marvelously captured in this newest collaboration between Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan.

George was a quirky fellow, no doubt about it! Whoowhee! Yet so far ahead of his time with his exotic forms, handcrafted glazes, unexpected lines. His life makes for a tangy biography — no dull moments here! — and his pottery — oh, I just wish I could hold one of these babies in my own hands, and drink in that dramatic color! Try this one out with kids ages 7 and up; the grown-ups will be as engrossed as the children.

Included are a note about the museum built in his honor in Biloxi, a short, helpful foray into pottery-appreciation, a description of the process of crafting a pot, and a bibliography and footnotes. 50 pages, laden with photographs and snazzy layouts.