Gordon Forsyth
Encyclopedia
Gordon Mitchell Forsyth was a Scottish
ceramic designer. Born in Fraserburgh
, he attended the Gray's School of Art
, in Aberdeen
and the Royal College of Art
. Moving in 1903 to Stoke-on-Trent
, he became art director of the tileworks Minton Hollins & Co, where he began a career which "spanned over forty years and left an indelible mark on the ceramic industry of Staffordshire
.". In 1906 he moved to take the same position at Pilkington's Tile & Pottery Company
near Manchester
. He returned to Pilkington's after service in the First World War. However, in 1920 he became Superintendent of Art Instruction in Stoke-on-Trent, a role which involved responsibility for several art schools.
Forsyth was the tutor of Susie Cooper
, when she studied at the Burslem School of Art
. At that time, Forsyth was described as a "pottery designer, educator and writer...and one of the main spokespersons on industrial pottery design." And the pivotal role he played in British ceramic design has inspired some to call him "the magus of the mid-twentieth century pottery industry."
: he designed stained glass windows for St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church in Burslem
in the late 1920s.
Forsyth's daughter Moira (1906–91), who also worked on the decoration of the church, had a successful career as a glass designer.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
ceramic designer. Born in Fraserburgh
Fraserburgh
Fraserburgh is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland with a population recorded in the 2001 Census at 12,454 and estimated at 12,630 in 2006. It lies at the extreme northeast corner of Aberdeenshire, around north of Aberdeen, and north of Peterhead...
, he attended the Gray's School of Art
Gray's School of Art
Gray's School of Art is an integral part of the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen that is one of the oldest established fine art institutions in Scotland...
, in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
and the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
. Moving in 1903 to Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
, he became art director of the tileworks Minton Hollins & Co, where he began a career which "spanned over forty years and left an indelible mark on the ceramic industry of Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
.". In 1906 he moved to take the same position at Pilkington's Tile & Pottery Company
Pilkington's Lancastrian Pottery & Tiles
Pilkington's Lancastrian Pottery & Tiles was a manufacturer of tiles, vases and bowls, based in Clifton, Greater Manchester, England. The company was established in 1892 at Clifton Junction, alongside Fletcher's Canal...
near Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. He returned to Pilkington's after service in the First World War. However, in 1920 he became Superintendent of Art Instruction in Stoke-on-Trent, a role which involved responsibility for several art schools.
Forsyth was the tutor of Susie Cooper
Susie Cooper
Susie Cooper was a prolific English ceramic designer working in the Stoke-on-Trent pottery industries from the 1920s to the 1980s.-Life and work:Born in Stanfields, Stoke-on-Trent, she was the youngest of seven children...
, when she studied at the Burslem School of Art
Burslem School of Art
Burslem School of Art was an art school in Burslem in the Potteries district of England. Students from the school played an important role in the local pottery industry....
. At that time, Forsyth was described as a "pottery designer, educator and writer...and one of the main spokespersons on industrial pottery design." And the pivotal role he played in British ceramic design has inspired some to call him "the magus of the mid-twentieth century pottery industry."
Stained Glass
Forsyth is best-known for his work in ceramics, particularly lustreware. However, he did work in other media, notably stained glassStained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
: he designed stained glass windows for St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church in Burslem
Burslem
The town of Burslem, known as the Mother Town, is one of the six towns that amalgamated to form the current city of Stoke-on-Trent, in the ceremonial county of Staffordshire, in the Midlands of England.-Topography:...
in the late 1920s.
Forsyth's daughter Moira (1906–91), who also worked on the decoration of the church, had a successful career as a glass designer.
Published works
- Gordon Mitchell Forsyth, Joseph William MellorJoseph William Mellor-Early life:Joseph William Mellor was born in Lindley, Huddersfield, England, in 1869. He grew up on New Zealand's South Island where his father found employment in the textile industry. The family was too poor to send Joseph to secondary school, but he continued to study in his spare time.Mellor...
& H. J. Plant, Introduction to Sympsium on Art, Stoke-on-Trent: Webberley, 1921 - Gordon Mitchell Forsyth, Art in the Pottery Industry, no date
- Gordon Mitchell Forsyth, The Art and Craft of the Potter, London: Chapman & Hall, 1934
- Gordon Mitchell Forsyth, M. P. Bisson, F. Jefferson Graham, W. Hartley, Pottery, Clay Modelling, and Plaster Casting, Sir I. Pitman & Sons Ltd. (in two volumes), 1935
- Gordon Mitchell Forsyth, 20th Century Ceramics: an International Survey of the Best Work Produced by Modern Craftsmen, Artists and Manufacturers, The Studio Ltd, 1936