Hedwig Grossman Lehmann

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Hedwig Grossman Lehmann, the Israeli ceramist and wood-craftsman, was born in Germany in 1902. She was among the pioneers of ceramics in Israeli art and among the founders of the Union for the Ceramic Arts in the country. Grossman was born in Berlin to a secular family of industrial workers. In the 1920's, Grossman was active in the Jewish youth group called Blau-Weiss. In that framework she participated in the political seminar organized by the group. Additionally, she introduced a department for young women in the Pioneer Movement. She was chosen to be the WIZO representative at the World Zionist Congress in Vienna in 1925. When "Blau-Weiss" was dismantled, Grossman left her public activities and enrolled in ceramics and design studies in Berlin. In 1933, she moved to Israel together with Rodi Lehmann, whom she knew from her studies in Berlin. They settled in Haifa. At that time Grossman worked in researching ceramic materials and sought to institute a factory for the production of clay flower pots in Kibbutz Yagur. In 1937 the couple moved to Jerusalem where they established a studio which included a kiln built with the inspiration of Arab potter's kilns. In 1953, Grossman became one of the founders of the Kibbutz Ein Hod, where she lived until 1957. In '59 Hedwig and Rodi moved to Givatayim, where they instituted a city school for the Arts. In her ceramic works, Hedwig emphasized the use of materials found in the Israeli landscape. Some of the shapes of her crafts were influenced by local archaeological findings. The technique of arranging the ceramic pieces included decorating with basic geometric shapes while using dried local colors in natural shades. Between 1953 and 1954, Grossman crafted a series of Terracotta sculptures, part of which contain autobiographical elements. In the early 1950's, Grossman returned to crafting ceramic sculptures and even began to craft graphic works with the technique of woodcutting. Hedwig Grossman Lehmann died in 1998.

Education

Hebrow, Hochschule für die Wissenschaft des Judentums, Berlin, Germany
1923-1920 Pestalozzi Freiwillhaus, Berlin, Germany
Deutsche Hochschule für Politik, Berlin, Germany
Sculpture, ceramics, graphic art, School of Art and Design Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Ceramic engineering and laboratory, Technion, Berlin, Germany
Professional School of Ceramics, Bolesławiec, Germany 1927-1928
School of Art and Design, Halle, Germany 1928-1929

Teaching

1919-1923 Guide in "Love", an institution for the orphans of war in Poland, and at Youth Center, Jüdisches Volksheim, in Berlin. 1930-1933 Teacher in private studio, Berlin. 1937-1957 Teacher in private studio in Jerusalem. 1956-1959 Teacher in private studio in Ein Hod. 1964-1980's Artist Institute of Givatayim, Givatayim.