Donald Lester Reitz (November 7, 1929 – March 19, 2014) was an American ceramic artist, recognized for inspiring a reemergence of salt glaze pottery in United States.[1][2] He was a teacher of ceramic art at the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1962 until 1988. During this period, he adapted the pottery firing technique developed in the Middle Ages, which involved pouring salt into the pottery kiln during the firing stage. The method was taught in European ceramic art schools, but largely unknown in United States studio pottery.
In 1982, Reitz was in a serious car accident involving a truck and was hospitalized for several months. While recovering from his injury, he began to create a series of ceramic pieces that came to be known by a collective name, Sara Period. In 2007, Reitz suffered a heart attack and would undergo close to a dozen surgeries, including a valve replacement. He continued producing works with the help of studio assistants.
In 1948, he enlisted in the United States Navy, and served for five years as a diver. He later had several other occupations including working as a butcher.[1] He spent his days as a butcher and would paint at night. He attended college utilizing the G.I. Bill.[6] He went to Kutztown State Teachers College, where he studied abstract expressionism and only discovered his passion for working on the potter's wheel in his last semester. He graduated from the college in 1957 with a bachelor's degree in art education.[1][7]
After graduating from the College of Ceramics, Reitz began teaching at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He took over teaching ceramics, a position that had become available when Harvey Littleton, the previous ceramics teacher, had instead began a glass program at the University.[6]
Early in this period, Reitz began exploring other forms of pottery, moving beyond the functional tableware.[8]
At Alfred University, he was exposed to and began experimenting with salt glaze pottery.[1][4] The method results in brownish "luminous colors and a sparkling surface."[2] He taught the method at the University and popularized it.[4][2] Some art historians like Martha Drexler Lynn and fellow potters like Phil Rogers have called him a pioneer of salt glaze in United States studio pottery.[9][10][11]
In 1982, Reitz was involved in a serious truck accident.[1] He was hospitalized for several months, at which time, he began a mail correspondence with his niece Sara.[4][2] His niece, who was receiving treatment for cancer, would send him get-well cards that contained pictures she had drawn. Reitz began incorporating her drawings in his ceramics, "tracing them into large platters of clay" and other ceramic vessels.[15][16][17]
His series of works during this time came to be known as the Sara Period.[2] Reitz would say of the series, "The Sara series is very important. It was a healing series, a spiritual series, and we both valued it so much."[16] "I never did any drawings of figures in clay until the Sara series. That, I think, started the drawing, the real drawing, and that was actually by accident when Sara and I were both healing each other."[15] His niece would recover and he would continue to create ceramics well into the 21st century.[4][16]
Later in the 1980s and 90s, he became involved with wood firing ceramics as a collaboration with several artists, traveling to many ceramics studios to utilize different kilns for their varied effects.[6] In 1988, he retired from the University of Wisconsin, but continued to work at his private studio in Clarkdale, Arizona.[19]
Reitz was named on Ceramics Monthly's list of "greatest living ceramic artists worldwide" in 1988 and 2001.[20] In 2002, he was awarded the American Craft Council's Gold Medal award.[12]
In 2007, he suffered a heart attack and underwent a series of eleven surgeries, including a valve replacement.[2] However, he continued producing works for several more years, this time, with the help of studio assistants and collaborative artists. He would take elements they molded in cylindrical shapes, modify and assemble them into abstract sculptures, statuettes and table top pieces.[4]
Reitz died of heart failure on March 19, 2014, at his residence in Clarkdale; he was 84 years old.[1]