Mary Caroline "M.C." Richards

Scarce, one-of-a-kind and limited edition book, Clay and Words 1952-1986, each bearing an original page of word/color by the author. This lovely book, just 22 pages, is #1 of 500 personalized copies, and was published in coordination with a rare exhibition of M.C. Richards’ pottery and poetry, curated by Julia Connor at The Crossing Point Gallery in Carmel, California, November 1986. Containing the artist’s prose and poetry, color and black and white images of her thrown stoneware, and various musings on her life and life’s work, this is a nearly impossible to find artifact by one of the art world’s more interesting creative spirits. In very fine condition with protective envelope.

Mary Caroline “M.C.” Richards (1916-1999) was a poet, potter, and writer. Educated at Reed College (A.B.) and the University of California (M.A., Ph.D.), her professional life began conventionally enough, as member of the English faculty at California, Central Washington, Chicago, Black Mountain. These assignments brought her face to face with a question: “Why is it we are all so well-educated and brilliant and gifted and artistic and idealistic and distinguished in scholarship, that we are so selfish and scheming and dishonest and begrudging and impatient and disrespectful of others?”

The answer, she concluded, was to be sought in arts of transformation: pottery, poetry, alchemy, spiritual self-development. Her life since then had been just such a quest: creation in pots and in words joined with bold, original thought and with many occasions of sharing. As speaker, artist in residence, participator in conferences and seminars she has offered her search and her wisdom to hundreds of students and peers at Colby, Penn State, Antioch, Goldsmiths College (University of London), and Haystack School of Crafts, to name a few. Through her widely read book Centering she has reached thousands more in a less direct but possibly more lasting way.

All Vintage Memorabilia autographs are unconditionally guaranteed to be genuine. This guarantee applies to refund of the purchase price, and is without time limit to the original purchaser. A written and signed Guarantee to that effect accompanies each item we sell.