The Master Ceramicist

Marge Bracken admits to being a bit of a rebel. "I would call me a respectful rebel," she says. "My mother was a teacher and my sisters were nurses, so of course my parents expected me to pursue one of those careers." Instead, she married Don in 1942, during the second year of what would become his 26-year military career. In 1955, while on the SAC Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington with Don, Marge had some time on her hands. She enrolled in a ceramics class that was offered and a successful career and lifelong passion ensued.

Ceramic art originated thousands of years before the birth of Christ. It has evolved into an art form that has captured the interest of millions. "Though much has been written about it," says Marge, "I was frustrated that there was so little information to help me get started. So the rebel in me took charge and I taught myself." (Much is still written about the topic today. A recent Internet search on "ceramic art history" resulted in over 90,000 matches!) As Marge gained experience, she wrote four books and many magazine articles to help others begin in this field. In addition to writing, she taught ceramic art seminars.

Marge specialized in the areas of ceramic finishing and painting on porcelain, earthenware, and stoneware. She became driven to find a better way as she sought the ultimate professional look in her artwork. For 4 years in the early 1960s, Marge and Don lived in Athens, Greece. "There was only one gas kiln in the entire country, so I didn't have much chance to pursue my hobby," recalls Marge. But when she and Don returned to San Antonio, where they would live for 40 years, Marge established her own ceramics distributorship.

"Things just snowballed," she says. So much so that in 1972, she was named Teacher of the Year by her peers. And in 1975, the National Ceramics Manufacturing Association named her one of 10 master teachers.

"The awards were nice," she says modestly, "but my main satisfaction came from seeing my students learn and derive pleasure from ceramic art. And the fact that some of my students have stayed in touch with me for over 30 years is truly inspirational."