Founded in New York's Greenwich Village in 1909, Greenwich House Pottery was a major American outpost of the Arts and Crafts Movement

Arts and Crafts movement

Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...

. It was founded as a place both to teach pottery making skills to new immigrants and to carry on the tradition and art of ceramics. Grants from the Rockefellers, Payne Whitneys and Marshall Fields helped the institution survive the Depression

Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...

 and thrive throughout the 20th century.

Notable ceramic artists who have taught at Greenwich House include Stanley Rosen

Stanley Rosen

Stanley Rosen is an American philosopher. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he is currently Professor Emeritus at Boston University. His wide range of research includes metaphysics, political philosophy, and history of western philosophy....

 (1956–59), Bernard Leach

Bernard Leach

Bernard Howell Leach, CBE, CH , was a British studio potter and art teacher. He is regarded as the "Father of British studio pottery"-Biography:...

, Shoji Hamada

Shoji Hamada

was a Japanese potter. He was a significant influence on studio pottery of the twentieth century, and a major figure of the mingei folk-art movement, establishing the town of Mashiko as a world-renowned pottery centre.- Biography :...

, Peter Voulkos

Peter Voulkos

Peter Voulkos popular name of Panagiotis Voulkos, was an American artist of Greek descent. He is known for his Abstract Expressionist ceramic sculptures, which crossed the traditional divide between ceramic crafts and fine art....

, and Robert Turner

Robert Turner

Robert Turner is an American professional poker player based in Downey, California.Turner is known for introducing Omaha hold 'em into poker-playing circles...

. Israeli ceramist Siona Shimshi

Siona Shimshi

Siona Shimshi is an Israeli painter, sculptor, ceramist, and textile designer.-Early life:Shimshi was born in Tel Aviv, to Haya Rivka and Avraham Shimshi, who had immigrated to Palestine from Lithuania in 1933...

studied at Greenwich House.