"I am a maker of useful things,"Eva Zeisel told The New Yorker magazine in this Talk of the Town piece.
"Play" she said helps her know when a model is right. This organic sense of playing with shape reminded me of how we home cooks play with the flavors of our food -- a little more white pepper, less nutmeg next time, I wonder if lemon zest would wake up this spinach artichoke dip?
Zeisel, creator of high-design housewares including this line for Crate & Barrel and a teakettle for Bloomingdale's, has lived on Manhattan's Upper West Side since 1938 and recently celebrated her 100th birthday, the article says.
I registered for Zeisel's Classic Century when I got married and I love it. I didn't get the large dishes -- just small ones, teacups, bowls and all the single pieces to use as a dessert and tea set. I have open shelving in my kitchen and it looks really beautiful out. I think Eva Zeisel is a fabulous designer...
My mother has tons of Eva's stuff, including the Classic Century from the first time around. I grew up with it and couldn't understand why other people's families had such clunky, ugly plates when I would eat at friends houses. Man, I was a design snob at age 8! lol
For those in NYC there's an exhibit (or at least there was) of her stuff somewhere on W 14th St. if you want to see more.