Janet Leach by Joanna Wason

 Janet Leach - potter -  by Joanna Wason 2024

Joanna Wason knew and worked with Janet Leach for many years and has written this vivid account of the American potter’s life, well illustrated with personal photos and showing us her distinctive pots.

Janet Darnell Leach grew up in Texas but left to become an artist in New York 1937.
As her sculpture did not sell she changed to pottery and was an occupational therapist in a mental hospital for three years.

The first pot she bought was an unglazed, burnished black Pueblo  pot by Maria Martinez,
which she kept all her life.

In 1950 she heard Bernard Leach speak and later she attended a two week seminar on which he taught at Black Mountain college, where she was much influenced by Hamada’s freedom of technique and wrote to B Leach asking to study with him in Japan.

Janet thrived in Japan but after she and Bernard agreed to marry she came to St Ives to be the third wife of a man 30 years older than herself  who was a less than ideal husband.
She unwillingly took his name and managed the pottery, her own work suffering. After eight years they were living apart.
After Bernard died Janet made changes at the Leach and in her last 16 years made more work in her distinctive style.
Janet  had a relationship with a woman - Boots Redgrave to whom she left everything.
She was also friendly with Kathy Watkins who ran the Penwith gallery and with Barbara Hepworth.
 
The book gives a marvellous picture of Janet Leach, her personality and her accomplishments, with the economy, style and judgment of one who is herself an excellent potter.

[Its available at the Leach Pottery]