Fired Magic
Detroit’s Pewabic Pottery Treasures
By Marcy Heller Fisher
Illustrated by Marjorie Hecht Simon
Paper - 9780814331439
Price: $17.95L
Published 2003
Size: 7 X 10, Pages: 96
Subjects: Regional Studies: Art & Architecture
Series: Great Lakes Books Series
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Description
Fired Magic is the story of a child discovering the beauty of Pewabic tile installations in the metropolitan Detroit area. Readers accompany the main character Angie on a tour of architecturally significant historic and contemporary tiled floors, ceilings, fountains, fireplaces, and other tile installations that grace the city and its environs—such as Belle Isle Park, the Detroit Institute of Arts, Cranbrook Educational Community, and the Detroit Zoo. Readers also join Angie in taking a class at Pewabic Pottery, where she learns to make tiles and other clay objects. The book provides a glossary of ceramic terms and a comprehensive list of Pewabic installations around the United States so that readers may discover the beauty of Pewabic tile for themselves.
This is the second in a series of books celebrating the cultural heritage of Detroit and the Great Lakes. Like the first in the series, The Outdoor Museum: The Magic of Michigan’s Marshall M. Fredericks (Wayne State University Press, 2001), this book is written for students from age 8 and above; however, it is enjoyable for art lovers of all ages. Through its inviting tale and rich illustrations, Fired Magic relates the history of Pewabic Pottery from its beginnings in the Arts and Crafts Movement and furthers the pottery’s present-day mission to support, educate, and foster appreciation for ceramic art.
Published by Wayne State University Press
Author(s)
Marcy Heller Fisher is a writer who lives in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
Marjorie Hecht Simon is a water-colorist and mural painter who has had many one-person exhibitions in Detroit area galleries.
Other Books by Marcy Heller Fisher: The Outdoor Museum: The Magic of Michigan’s Marshall M. Fredericks,
Reviews
"The intricate illustrations promote awareness of metropolitan Detroit's Pewabic installations and serve as a wonderful resource for families interested in a unique field trip."
— Metro Parent
“Marcy Heller Fisher’s book about Pewabic Pottery . . . is delightfully creative. We think Mary Chase Stratton would be pleased.”
— Terese A. Ireland, Executive Director, Pewabic Pottery
“Fired Magic is a delightful introduction to Detroit’s Pewabic Pottery with excellent information on the history of the pottery and how the tiles are made. But more than that, through its imaginative tour of public Pewabic installations throughout Detroit, it shows off a beautiful side of the city and its architectural history.”
— Sandra Clark, Director, Michigan Historical Center
“One couldn’t ask for a better introduction to the history of Pewabic Pottery and its significance within the Arts and Crafts movement. Though ostensibly a children’s book, people of all ages will benefit from its contents. Adults especially will find it a handy guide to the major Pewabic installations around Detroit.”
— Mark Coir, Director, Cranbrook Archives
“Marcy Heller Fisher and Marjorie Hecht Simon have brought the beauty of art to the level everyone can understand and appreciate. Fired Magic is very successful in making the ceramic art form seem within reach of anyone who wishes to try their hand at making a beautiful tile. Best of all, they take you on an eye-opening tour of some of our favorite places to see Pewabic tile: Belle Isle, the Detroit Zoo, People Mover stations, the Detroit Public Library, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and Cranbrook.”
— Marilyn L. Wheaton, Director, City of Detroit Cultural Affairs Department