Richard Schneider

Richard D. Schneider (1937-2020) Richard began his career as a potter after taking classes at the Toledo Museum of Art. After receiving his bachelor’s from the University of Toledo, Schneider attended Bowling Green State University for a master’s in art and ceramics from 1960-1964. As a ceramicist, Schneider was drawn to the spontaneity of the abstract impressionists. He saw how his early pieces simply sat on a table and how clay appeared to be heavy and in need of a strong base. “I started thinking about objects made of clay appearing weightless. The question was how to get these objects in the air without having a noticeable pedestal.” Spurred on by past sculpture courses with welded steel, Schneider experimented with steel frames within his ceramics. His experimentation allowed him to express his interest in the abstract, saying, “I am interested in conveying humor, satire, and fantasy in my work. I like to include the expected with the unexpected.” The “California Funk” artists of the 60’s and 70’s inspired his cartoonish, colorful, and wild designs. Schneider used his other interest in photography  to expand his artistic perspective. Learning how to develop photography in a darkroom from his father gave him a unique ability to experiment with the surface of his clay. Although clay was his start, Schneider worked with stoneware, porcelain, and terracotta, merging design and firing techniques between the mediums.

Richard began teaching at Cleveland State University and remained on the faculty as Associate Professor of Art (ceramics) for 43 years. Richard Schneider’s artwork has been shown regionally, nationally, and internationally, appearing in Cleveland and Toledo exhibitions as well as Taiwan, South Africa, and Australia. He was a member of the Toledo Potter’s Guild and the Ohio Designer Craftsman Organization.