The following information was submitted by Owen Hedden:

A graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art, he also studied at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Vienna, Austria. He taught the first class in enameling in the United States, in 1935 at the Cleveland School of Art and later wrote three internationally acclaimed books on the subject. He is credited with finding simplified methods for applying enamel on copper, and inventing ways of putting enamel on large steel and aluminum plates.

His work has been in exhibitions around the world, and his enameled steel and copper murals are present in churches, restaurants, schools, and industrial buildings. The probably largest one is in Cleveland, Ohio, on St. Mary Romanian Orthodox Church.

Winter served as advisory editor of four art magazines and wrote over 200 articles on art. He gave lectures all over the U.S. and abroad.

Source:
Obituary, The Plain Dealer, Saturday, July 24, 1976


The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art (Sept. '89).
The Collectors Encyclopedia of Cowan Pottery, by Saloff
Art Potter of the United States, by Evans
A Century of Ceramics in the United States, by Clark and Hughto
Art Deco and Modernist Ceramics, by McCready
The History of American Ceramics, by Levin

Edward Winter, known for his enamel pieces and murals, wrote a book on the subject: Enamel Painting Techniques, glass fused on metals (1970).

He was apparently associated at one time with the Cowan Pottery Company of Ohio, but there seems to be a question as to whether Ed actually worked for Cowan. There is, apparently, one known example of Cowan pottery signed by Ed Winter: a small vase with an unsuccessful experimental enamel finish (WRHS collection), and this may have been a blank decorated outside the pottery.

R. Guy Cowan, founder of Cowan Pottery, and Ed Winter were undoubtedly associated later, as Guy Cowan, after the demise of his pottery company in 1931, went to work for the Ferro Corporation of Cleveland, which is the very same place that Ed used after hours as his laboratory/studio for the developement of his enamelling techniques.

Winter married Thelma Frazier, a painter and pottery decorator, and both had successful careers as artists.

Submitted February 2004 by Michael Hickman, pottery collector. His sources are:

Edward Winter (1908-1976) was born in Pasadena, Ca. He studied art in Vienna, and taught at the Cleveland Institute of Art from 1935-1937. Winter mainly used copper, steel, silver, and enamel. The works ranged from household tableware to large wall plaques.

He created a number of sizable enamel murals, including eleven commissioned by churches.

Winter wrote Enamel Art on Metals (1958), Enameling for Beginners (1962), and Enamel Painting Techniques (1970).

His work is in the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Butler Museum of Art, and other institutions.