The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) has received a landmark gift from The Brian and Edith Heath Foundation of more than 100 objects by pioneering ceramicist Edith Heath (1911–2005), along with a $1 million endowment to support the long-term care of craft and decorative arts in the Museum’s collection. The gift significantly expands OMCA’s holdings of Heath’s work to over 200 objects and affirms the Museum’s role as a leading steward of California craft and design.
“This extraordinary gift deepens OMCA’s ability to tell the story of California creativity and innovation,” said Lori Fogarty, Executive Director and CEO of OMCA. “Edith Heath transformed ceramics by uniting art, science, and industry, and her work helped define a distinctly California approach to modern living. We are profoundly grateful to The Brian and Edith Heath Foundation for entrusting these works to OMCA and for their generous support of their ongoing care.”
Spanning the 1940s to the 1980s, the newly gifted works—carefully selected to illuminate how Heath worked and her creative process—span hand-thrown vessels, iconic mid-century dinnerware, glaze and clay body tests, and other experimental pieces. Highlights include hand-formed works from the period of her landmark 1944 exhibition at the Legion of Honor, early production pieces created for her collaboration with Gump’s department store, and 1958 stoneware vases featured in Ceramics Monthly. Several of the works have previously appeared at OMCA, including in The Potter’s Art in California (1978) and the artist’s first major survey, Edith Heath: A Life in Clay (2021–22), underscoring OMCA’s long-standing support of Heath’s legacy.
“One of Edith’s favorite Sunday jaunts was to the Oakland Museum; I felt like I was visiting ‘her’ museum,” said Jay Stewart, Trustee of The Brian and Edith Heath Foundation. “We are honored to place these works in a community-focused institution, where they will continue to inspire new generations of artists, designers, and learners.”
A trailblazing artist and entrepreneur, Heath revolutionized modern ceramics through distinctive clay bodies, nature-inspired glazes, and forms designed for everyday use. Rejecting the delicacy of fine china and the idea that meaningful design could only exist in handmade objects, she built Heath Ceramics, a company whose modern dinnerware and tile have remained in continuous production for more than 70 years. Her durable, egalitarian designs helped define a California lifestyle rooted in simplicity, resilience, and connection to the natural environment.
OMCA has collected and exhibited Heath ceramics since the early 1970s, and the new gift significantly enhances the Museum’s ability to present her work within the broader context of California art, history, and design. The objects will be incorporated into both the Art and History Galleries, where they will be displayed alongside works by other California makers and integrated into gallery-based learning programs that explore artistic process, material experimentation, and innovation.
The gift coincides with a renewed institutional commitment to craft and decorative arts at OMCA. Simultaneously, the Museum is announcing the appointment of Isabel Elson-Enriquez as the Imogene Gieling Associate Curator of Craft and Decorative Arts, a position made possible by a generous gift from the late Bay Area jewelry designer Imogene Gieling. In this role, Elson-Enriquez will help steward OMCA’s extensive holdings of ceramics, jewelry, textiles, metalwork, glass, and furniture, spanning the 19th century to the present.
“Craft has long been central to California’s creative identity,” said Makeda Best, Deputy Director, Curatorial Affairs at OMCA. “This transformative gift of Edith Heath’s work, along with the creation of a dedicated curatorial role, allows us to deepen our engagement with the artists and makers who have shaped the region’s cultural landscape.”
OMCA holds one of the most significant collections of California craft and decorative arts in the state, with particular strengths in California Arts and Crafts and California Studio Craft. The Museum continues to actively collect work by artists working in traditional craft media as well as those who push the boundaries between craft and contemporary art. Together, these initiatives reinforce OMCA’s mission to present the art, history, and natural environment of California through the stories of the people who shape it—ensuring that the legacy of artists like Edith Heath remains a vital part of the state’s cultural narrative.
ABOUT THE BRIAN AND EDITH HEATH FOUNDATION
Established in 2007 by Jay Stewart pursuant to Brian and Edith’s wishes, The Brian and Edith Heath Foundation supports research and scholarship to advance knowledge of ceramics, design, and the cultural history of California. Key collaborations include: Heath Ceramics: The Making of a California Classic (KCET documentary, 2019), Edith Heath: Philosophies (Berkeley Design Books, 2020), From the Earth (Vancouver Art Gallery, 2021), and Edith Heath: A Life in Clay (OMCA, 2022).
The Foundation stewards a collection of more than 1,000 ceramic objects documenting the creative legacy of Edith Heath and Heath Ceramics. As part of the Foundation’s commitment to public access, the collection is being donated to cultural institutions across the US and made available online, creating a global network of research opportunities.
ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
Founded in 1969 as a “museum of the people,” Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) tells the diverse stories of California’s art, history, and natural environment. Through inclusive exhibitions, public programs, and educational initiatives, OMCA creates space for meaningful dialogue and strives to build more equitable, empathetic, and connected communities. With more than 2 million objects, OMCA’s collection of art, history, and natural science is a resource for understanding California’s dynamic heritage—all within its 110,000 square feet of gallery space and seven-acre campus.
A leading Bay Area cultural institution rooted in Oakland, OMCA is dedicated to fostering an environment where visitors from the region, state, and beyond feel valued and empowered to shape the future of California’s cultural landscape.
VISITOR INFORMATION
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is at 1000 Oak Street, at 10th Street, in Oakland. All-inclusive Museum admission is $25 general admission; $22 for seniors; and $18 for youth ages 12 to 17, as well as for students and educators with valid ID; and free for Members and children 12 and under.
OMCA offers onsite underground parking and is conveniently located one block from the Lake Merritt BART station, on the corner of 10th Street and Oak Street. An accessibility ramp is located at the 1000 Oak Street main entrance to the Museum.
