In 1971, the American Institute of Architects awarded the prestigious AIA Industrial Arts Medal to self-proclaimed “potter” Edith Heath. It was the first time the organization had bestowed such recognition on a ceramicist. 

Heath, the remarkable founder of the Sausalito-based Heath Ceramics, is probably better known for midcentury homewares. Her earthen tableware captures a casual West Coast modernism in hues drawn from California’s landscape. Her company was founded in 1947, and most design aficionados have a Heath bud vase or generous serving bowl in their collection. Yet the AIA recognition shed light on what was then an emerging and exciting facet of her practice—architectural tile. “Heath Ceramics have become integral parts of architecture in installations across the United States,” noted the jury. 

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