Stan Bitters Seating
An icon of modernist ceramics since the 1960s, Stan Bitters constructed rough assemblages of clay slabs and spoked wheels into massive murals and tall totems, upsizing his medium to an architectural scale.
Like Toshiko Takaezu, Peter Voulkos, Paul Soldner and others, Bitters was part of a small group of American artists during the mid-20th-century who embraced imperfection in their pottery.
Working in ceramics, a material that during the last 100 years was relegated to the supposedly lesser artistic realm of craft, Bitters and these other artists made bold, chunky pieces that served as a counterpoint to the smooth lines and overall slickness of modern and postmodern movements like Bauhaus, constructivism, minimalism, Op art and Pop art.
Hailing from Fresno, California, the self-proclaimed “old hippie” Bitters earned his bachelor’s degree in painting from UCLA. He also studied at what became Otis College in Los Angeles under Voulkos — the bad boy of American ceramics.
Voulkos almost single-handedly spawned what came to be known as the California Clay Movement and flouted pottery’s approved techniques. He transformed clay into a vibrant, highly expressive artistic medium, and Bitters’ funky, fractured style certainly shows it.
Bitters later became associated with organic modernism and created ceramics for Hans Sumpf, a maker of adobe bricks and furniture in Madera.
“Known for his Abstract Expressionist style, Bitters is a steadfast champion of environmental ceramics — the melding of natural, organic clay forms, sculptures and architectural elements into urban spaces to complement, transform and elevate their surroundings,” says Greg Nielson, of Dwell Floor Five, in Studio City, California.
With their sputtery glazes and graffiti-esque glyphs, Bitters’s works exude raw, countercultural energy.
Find Stan Bitters decorative objects, garden ornaments, planters and other furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Seating
Concrete
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Seating
Ceramic, Stoneware
1980s Italian Baroque Revival Vintage Stan Bitters Seating
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Chinese Stan Bitters Seating
Ceramic
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Seating
Metal
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Seating
Clay
2010s American Rustic Stan Bitters Seating
Oak
Late 20th Century American Minimalist Stan Bitters Seating
Concrete
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Seating
Clay
1960s American Vintage Stan Bitters Seating
Velvet, Bamboo
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Seating
Ceramic, Clay
21st Century and Contemporary American Minimalist Stan Bitters Seating
Resin, Fiberglass
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Stan Bitters Seating
Clay
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Stan Bitters Seating
Marble, Stainless Steel
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Seating
Stoneware
1980s American Modern Vintage Stan Bitters Seating
Ceramic
21st Century and Contemporary American Stan Bitters Seating
Ceramic
Stan Bitters seating for sale on 1stDibs.
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- 1stDibs ExpertJanuary 19, 2025The kind of artwork that Stan Bitters is famous for is ceramics. He has been an icon of modernist ceramics since the 1960s. Bitters constructed rough assemblages of clay slabs and spoked wheels into massive murals and tall totems, upsizing his medium to an architectural scale. Like Toshiko Takaezu, Peter Voulkos, Paul Soldner and others, Bitters was part of a small group of artists working in the United States during the mid-20th century who embraced imperfection in their pottery. Working in ceramics, a material that was then relegated to the supposedly lesser artistic realm of craft, Bitters and these artists made bold, chunky pieces that served as a counterpoint to the smooth lines and overall slickness of modern and postmodern movements like Bauhaus, Constructivism, Minimalism, Op art and Pop art. On 1stDibs, shop a range of Stan Bitters ceramics.