F. Carlton Ball

Ceramicist
American, (1911–1992)

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Carlton Ball wasa multi-disciplinary artist who worked with painting, jewelry, and sculpture,but he was most known for his large wheel thrown ceramic vessels, his two ceramic handbooks, and his frequent contributions to ceramic magazines in the 1950s. Ball was born in Sutter Creek, California and attended the University of Southern California (USC),where he earned his M.F.A. with a concentration in mural painting while studying handbuilt pottery under Glen Lukens. He learned how to throw pottery by watching Marguerite Wildenhain at the 1940 Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island. From 1939 to 1950 he taught at Mills College in Oakland, developing the ceramics program into one the most active on the West Coast. Additionally, he over saw the formation of the celebrated Mills Ceramic Guild which promoted workshops, lectures, exhibitions and created a remarkable permanent ceramics collection for Mills. Balltaught for nearly 50 years at eight different colleges including the University of Southern California, The University of Puget Sound, and the California College of Arts and Crafts. His last teaching position was held at Tacoma Community College before his passing in 1992.