Doreen Blumhardt

Dame Vera Doreen Blumhardt (7 March 1914 – 17 October 2009) was a New Zealand potter, ceramicist and arts educator.

Early life Vera Doreen Blumhardt was born on 7 March 1914 in Huanui in the north of New Zealand. Her parents were German-born David Blumhardt and Wilhelmina Elisabeth Magdalene Hartdegen who ran a small farm near Whangārei.

Blumhardt attended Whangarei High School and studied the violin. She had a keen interest in drawing and watercolours and went on to study at the Canterbury College of Art in Christchurch. From 1937, she attended a teacher training programme at Christchurch Teachers' Training College and studied German and education at Canterbury University College. Blumhardt's works are included in many overseas galleries and institutions, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Museo Gaccia in Switzerland as well as in her home nation of New Zealand.

Blumhardt travelled extensively and collected pottery from countries including Japan and Mexico. She was instrumental to international potters including Takeichi Kawai and Bernard Leach exhibiting in New Zealand. in Wellington in 1992, the tiles of which depict the Aurora Australis.

Blumhardt Foundation In 2003, Blumhardt founded the Blumhardt Foundation to foster, support, collect, and display the best examples of decorative arts and design in New Zealand. Every year, the Foundation, The Dowse Art Museum, and Creative New Zealand offer a Cultural Internship, providing opportunities for artists to nurture curatorial interest and expertise in the areas of decorative arts and design. In the same year, she was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in London. She was made a Member of the Order of New Zealand in the 2007 New Year Honours.

In 2009, two months before her death, Blumhardt accepted the redesigned title of Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit following the restoration of titular honours by the New Zealand government.

Death Dame Vera Doreen Blumhardt died on 17 October 2009, aged 95.

Publications

Blumhardt D, (1976): New Zealand potters : their work and words, Wellington, Reed Blumhardt D., Brake B. (1981): Craft New Zealand : the art of the craftsman, New York, Universe Blumhardt D. (1991): Education through art, Wellington, Wellington College of Education McLeod M., Brake B.; Bumhardt D. (1991): Doreen Blumhardt: teacher & potter, Wellington, Daphne Brasell Associates Press