|
Jo Dendel
(????- )
Esther Sietmann Warner
(1910-????)
Even though I attribute all the pieces of Bantu dinnerware I find to Jo Dendel, who designed the shape, no conversation about him would be complete without the mention of his wife and business partner Esther Sietmann Warner. The couple met in Liberia, where Esther was researching native ceramics and Jo, a botanist by education, ran a rubber plantation. Their travels abroad inspired several books, written by Esther and illustrated by Jo.
Upon their return to the United States, Esther took a position under John Rood teaching art at the University of Minnesota. A year later, however, Rood was called into the service and Esther and Jo moved to Costa Mesa, California in 1946. That year the pair founded Denwar Ceramics, and produced a single line of dinnerware, Bantu which was inspired by their travels on the African continent.
The ceramics studio discontinued their dinnerware production and went on to produce ceramic tiles and mosaics in 1961. In the 1970's the couple refocused the output of their efforts, this time on fiber arts and weaving which Denwar still produces today.
Although Esther passed away around the turn of the 21st century, Jo still owns Denwar Craft Studio in Costa Mesa, CA, where he offers weaving instruction as well as hand crafted textiles he and his team of craftsmen produce. He also continues to be active in the arts and has a renewed interest in wood carving and sculpture.
To learn more about Jo Dendel & Esther Sietmann Warner:
• Hill House Wares: Denwar Ceramics
• Iowa Women's Archives: The Esther Sietmann Warner Dendel Papers
• Plaza of Heroines: Esther Sietman Dendel
|
 |
|
