Editing Clarice Cliff (section)

==The 1930s==
In 1930, Cliff was appointed as [[art director]] at Newport Pottery and A. J. Wilkinson, the two adjoining factories that produced her wares. Her work involved spending more time with Colley Shorter, and this gradually developed into an affair, conducted in secrecy. The couple worked closely together on creating awareness of 'Bizarre ware' to catch the attention of buyers in the middle of a [[Great Depression|major financial depression]]. Colley Shorter registered Clarice's name and even some of her shapes. It was her ability to design both patterns and the shapes they were to go on that distinguished Cliff above any other designers in the Staffordshire Potteries at this time. Her first modelling in the mid 20s was of stylised figures, people, ducks, the floral embossed ''Davenport'' ware of 1925. But in 1929 at the same time as she started the colourful cubist and landscape designs, Cliff's modeling took on a new style. This was influenced by European originals by Désny, Tétard Freres, [[Josef Hoffmann]] and others, that she had seen in design journals including 'Mobilier e Décoration'.<ref>Griffin Leonard: ''Clarice Cliff the Art of the Bizarre'' (chapter 'Dramatic Art Deco') Pavilion/Chrysalis 1999/2002</ref>

[[Image:Melon shape 14 vase and Circle Tree Eton shape coffee pot.jpg|right|thumb|1930 patterns: ''Melon'' on a shape 14 vase, and ''Circle Tree'' on an Eton shape coffeepot.]]
Between 1929 and 1935 Cliff issued a mass of shape ranges, including ''Conical'' (see photo below), ''Bon Jour/Biarritz, Stamford, Eton, Daffodil'' and ''Trieste''. In each of these there were tea and coffee ware shapes, but the first two were so popular that biscuit barrels, sugar sifters, bowls and vases were issued to enlarge the range. ''Bon Jour'' had 20 shapes created during 1933,<ref>For ''Bon Jour'' range illustration see p.53: Griffin Leonard, Meisel Louis and Susan: ''Clarice Cliff the Bizarre Affair'' Thames & Hudson London/Abrams New York 1988/1995</ref> with about 10 more being added in 1934. There were also many other vases, bowls and 'fancies', such as the ''Liner vase'', ''Flower tube vase'' and the (now rare) ''Lido Lady'' ashtray and ''Age of Jazz'' musicians and dancers.

Through the depths of the [[Great Depression]] Cliff's wares continued to sell in volume at what were high prices for the time. Her ''Bizarre'' and ''Fantasque'' ware was sold throughout North America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, but not in mainland Europe. In Britain many top London stores sold it, including [[Harrods]]. Some of the other London stockists have long since closed, but the list<ref>Knight Lynn: p.167 ''Clarice Cliff'' biography Bloomsbury Press 2005</ref> is impressive: "& Co., Lawley's, Bon Marche, John Lewis Peter Robinson, Selfridges, John Barker & Co., Warring & Gillow and Gorringe's". However, the extant order books of the period confirm that Bizarre ware was never sold at [[Woolworths (United Kingdom)|Woolworths]] as some have erroneously stated.

Further vividly colored patterns, such as ''Melon'' and ''Circle Tree'' appeared in 1930. Cliff devised many ways of marketing these: in-store painting demonstrations, for which Cliff chose just the prettiest of her painters and most famously she and Shorter had the idea to actually pay major 1930s celebrities to endorse the ware. This was done both in magazine articles and by appearances at large stores. The celebrities included "actresses [[Adrianne Allen]], [[Marion Lorne]], [[Marie Tempest]], the BBC presenter [[Christopher Stone (actor)|Christopher Stone]] and musical comedy star [[Bobby Howes]]".<ref>Knight Lynn: ''Clarice Cliff'' biography Bloomsbury Press 2005</ref> [[Sir Malcolm Campbell]] who had just broken the world land speed record appeared at a promotion at the First Avenue Hotel, London in 1930.

Cliff's worldwide impact was made clear by a story in the ''Pasadena Evening Post'' in the US. It pictured her with a five-foot-high 'horse' made entirely of Bizarre ware which had been made to promote the ware in Britain. It was in this article, that Cliff made what has become her most famous quote: "Having a little fun at my work does not make me any less of an artist, and people who appreciate truly beautiful and original creations in pottery are not frightened by innocent tomfoolery."<ref>'Pasadena Evening Post' story 1931</ref>
[[Image:Duncan grant plate.JPG|thumb|right|Clarice Cliff plate designed by Duncan Grant dated 1934]]
Between 1932 and 1934 Cliff was the art director for a major project involving nearly 30 artists of the day (prompted by the Prince of Wales) to promote good design on tableware. The 'Artists in Industry' earthenware examples were produced under her direction, and the artists included such notable names as [[Duncan Grant]], [[Paul Nash (artist)|Paul Nash]], [[Barbara Hepworth]], [[Vanessa Bell]], and [[Dame Laura Knight]]. The project 'Modern Art for the Table' was launched at [[Harrods]] London in October 1934 but received a mixed response from both the public and the press, though at the same time Cliff's own patterns and shapes were selling in large quantities around the world.<ref>Griffin Leonard: ''Clarice Cliff the Art of the Bizarre'' (chapter ''Bizarre meets Bloomsbury'') Pavilion/Chrysalis 1999/2002</ref>

[[Image:ClariceCliffHonoluluJug.jpg|thumb|Clarice Cliff 'Honolulu' pattern on traditional 'Athens' shape Jug. Approx 1932]]
Cliff's patterns are highly stylised and interpreted in strong colors, such as the 1933 ''Honolulu'' pattern. The trees are enameled in red (coral) orange and yellow. Cliff produced a colourway variation on this by simply changing the trees to shades of blue and pink, and this was then called ''Rudyard'' after a local Staffordshire beauty spot.

[[File:Clarice Cliff - Conical coffee pot 'Bizarre' Blue and White.jpg|thumb|Coffee pot designed by Clarice Cliff, part of the 'Conical' series, with the rare 'Blue and White' pattern, circa 1929.]]

Clarice Cliff's fame and success in the 1930s are hard to fully appreciate now, but at that time there was no such thing as 'career women'. The publicity she received in the national press was unprecedented. Research by a PhD student into the contemporary press between 1928 and 1936 found "360 articles about Cliff and her work were published in the trade press, women's magazines, national and local newspapers."<ref>Woodward Philip: writing in ''The Bizarre Art of Clarice Cliff'' (Pavilion/Chrysalis 1999/2001)</ref> This was put into context when he pointed out that in the same period, [[Susie Cooper]], another Staffordshire ceramicist and designer, had "fewer than 20 reviews, all bar one in the trade press".

[[Image:Clarice Cliff in 1933.JPG|left|thumb|Clarice Cliff (right) with visitors to Newport Pottery in 1933]]
Despite all the publicity she received, Cliff was camera shy, and in most cases the images of her pottery were what dominated the women's magazine of the day. One picture which shows Cliff informally was taken when a South African stockist of her ware, from Werner Brothers, visited the factory on a buying trip. Cliff is seen with the 3-year-old daughter and wife of the stockist. After the visit Cliff sent the daughter a present of a child's miniature tea set painted in her ''Honolulu'' pattern.<ref>Griffin Leonard: ''Taking Tea with Clarice Cliff'' (Pavilion/Chrysalis 1996/2002</ref>

In the mid 30s tastes changed and heavily modeled ware came into vogue. The ''My Garden'' series issued from 1934 onwards led the way, with small flowers modelled as a handle or base on more rounded shapes. These were fully painted in bright colours – the body of the ware was covered in thin colour washes – 'Verdant' was green, 'Sunrise' yellow and so on. The range included vases, bowls, jugs, a biscuit barrel, and proved very popular as gift ware. It was produced in more muted colours, right until the start of the war in 1939.
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Clarice Cliff My Garden range 1934-5.jpg|right|thumb|An original 1935 factory leaflet shows the size and diversity of the modelled 'My Garden' ware]] -->

Other shapes included the 1937 'Raffia' based on traditional basketware by Native Americans, decorated in a similar style to them with small blocks of colour. More popular was the heavily modeled ''Harvest'' ware, jugs and bowls modelled with corn and fruit. After the war this range was heavily marketed in North America (very patriotically) as ''England''. This later ware attracts relatively low prices at auction.