Gordon Forsyth

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.".[1] 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.[2] Forsyth was the tutor of a number of notable students at the Burslem School of Art including Susie Cooper,[3] Glyn Colledge, Clarice Cliff, Charlotte Rhead, Arthur Berry, and Mabel Leigh.[4] At that time, Forsyth was described as a "pottery designer, educator and writer...and one of the main spokespersons on industrial pottery design."[5] 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."[6] Stained glass Edit Forsyth is best known for his work in ceramics, particularly lustreware. However, he did work in other media, notably stained glass: he designed stained glass windows for St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church in Burslem in the late 1920s.[7] Forsyth's daughter Moira (1906–91), who also worked on the decoration of the church, had a successful career as a glass designer.[8][9] Gordon Mitchell Forsyth RI, ARCA (from 1940) Born 1879 (Probable) Active: 1919 - 1951 Country of birth and death: Scotland President of art society, art director at pottery Born in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. Trained in Aberdeen and then the Royal College Art, winning a travel scholarship in 1902. He was Art Director at Minton Hollins and Co. (c.1902-5) and then at Pilkington Tile and Pottery Co. from c.1906. After the First World War he was superintendant of art instruction at Stoke and Burslem Schools of Art and then became an adviser to the British Pottery Manufacturers Association. [see Elliott, 'Potters', 2004] Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-fifth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1895 1895 Tarantella - A Sketch (cat. no. 1332, low relief, for sale in plaster £9 19s. 6d., in bronze £40). Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-eighth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1898 1898 Professor Bannister Fletcher (cat. no. 1388, bronze bust, not for sale). Selection committee member of Eighth Annual Exhibition of the Society of Staffordshire Artists (City of Stoke on Trent Museums and Art Gallery, Hanley), 1942 March 1942 Institutional and Business Connections Director of Minton and Company 1903 (Circa) - 1906 (Circa) See Stuart 'People of the Potteries' (1985), p. 98. Member of Society of Staffordshire Artists 1945 - 1951 Listed as a 'Patron and Life Member' of the Society. President of Society of Staffordshire Artists 1940 (Presumed) - 1944 (Presumed) Principal of Burslem School of Art 1911 (Circa) - 1944 (Circa) See Haggar (1953), pp. 33-35. From 1938 Forsyth was Superintendent/Art Master of the Stoke on Trent Schools of Art [see Prospectus (1938-39), p. 4]. Listed as principal in minutes from 1927.