David Cressey, a multi-disciplinary artist who had a six-decade career, created pottery and ceramics that revolutionized indoor/outdoor planters with their architectural style. Implementing artistic functionality into his pieces, Cressey designed in modern and mid-century modern styles. He created many planters, vases and table lamps, which remain highly desirable to collectors.
Cressey was the first artist in residence at Architectural Pottery in Los Angeles in 1961, helping to transform its urban and residential work. This was highly influential in the architecture and design worlds as the company mass-produced and sold sculptural, functional pieces.
Cressey also opened a design studio in Venice Beach, California, collaborating with Group Artec and Earthgender Ceramics. When Architectural Pottery closed in the mid-1980s due to a fire, Cressey continued to produce art, this time in the medium of mixed media on wood.
Cressey artwork evokes a similar physical and sensory experience as his vessels, lanterns and folk art ceramics. Evocatively Californian, his paintings evolved from his clay-based practice with a masterful use of color, saturation and texture. His fine art training included studying at the University of Southern California under Vivika Heino and at the University of California, Los Angeles, with Laura Andreson.
In 2006, he received the California Design Award. Museums that have exhibited his work include the Pasadena Art Museum in 1967, the Everson Museum of Art in 1961, the Oakland Museum of California in 1961 and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2011.
On 1stDibs, find a rare collection of David Cressey building and garden elements, decorative objects, lighting and more.
Earthgender Stoneware Planter by Robert Maxwell & David Cressey, 1970s
By Robert Maxwell and David Cressey
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stoneware planter, circa 1970s, USA, is a result of the collaboration between David Cressey & Robert Maxwell to create the line Earthgender. This hand thrown planter features an ungl...
Stoneware
$1,200
H 10 in Dm 9.75 in
Stoneware Planter by David Cressey & Robert Maxwell for Earthgender, c.1970s
By Robert Maxwell and David Cressey
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stoneware planter, c.1970s, USA, is a result of the collaboration between David Cressey & Robert Maxwell to create the line Earthgender. This hand thrown planter features an ungl...
Stoneware
Large Robert Maxwell & David Cressey Thumbprint Planter for Earthgender
By Robert Maxwell, David Cressey
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Large Robert Maxwell & David Cressey thumbprint planter for Earthgender. Executed in textured earthenware with a stunning brown coloration with glaz...
Earthenware
David Cressey Ceramic Planter for Architectural Pottery, 1960s
By David Cressey, Architectural Pottery
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Ceramic bowl planter from David Cressey's Pro/Artisan collection for Architectural Pottery. The planter has a gray speckled glazed interior and exterior, with slightly bowed sides an...
Ceramic
$1,995
H 11 in W 15.5 in D 15.5 in
Mid-Century Modern Earthgender Ceramic Planter by David Cressey & Robert Maxwell
By Robert Maxwell and David Cressey
Located in North Hollywood, CA
There’s a quiet elegance to pieces like this, the kind that instantly makes a space feel more curated, layered, and lived in. Designed by David Cressey and Robert Maxwell for Earthge...
Ceramic
Robert Maxwell & David Cressey Storage Jar for Earthgender
By Architectural Pottery, Robert Maxwell, David Cressey
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Robert Maxwell & David Cressey Storage Jar for Earthgender. Studio executed in hand thrown and designed textured earthenware with matching glazed lid, ideal as both a storage solutio...
Earthenware
$380Sale Price|20% Off
H 11 in Dm 12 in
Large Earthenware Pottery Planter in the Style of David Cressey / Robert Maxwell
By Robert Maxwell and David Cressey
Located in San Diego, CA
Large earthenware pottery planter with attached tray in the style of David Cressey / Robert Maxwell, circa 1980s. The piece is in very good vintage condition with no chips or cracks ...
Earthenware
1960s Glazed Ceramic Pot Attributed to John Follis for Architectural Pottery
By John Follis, Architectural Pottery
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1960s Glazed Ceramic Pot Attributed to John Follis for Architectural Pottery. Executed in matte white glazed ceramic. A very clean and increasingly rare example highly reminiscent o...
Ceramic
$1,395
H 9.8 in Dm 16 in
1960s Large Ceramic Planter Attributed to John Follis for Architectural Pottery
By Architectural Pottery, John Follis
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1960s Large Ceramic Planter Attributed to John Follis for Architectural Pottery. Executed in matte white glazed ceramic. A very clean and increasingly rare example highly reminiscen...
Ceramic
$5,500
H 15 in Dm 17 in
David Cressey "Scratch" Stoneware Pro/Artisan Planter for Architectural Pottery
By Architectural Pottery, David Cressey
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Planter by David Cressey from the Pro/Artisan collection for Architectural Pottery. This stoneware planter has an unglazed interior as well as an unglazed natural warm brown clay ext...
Clay, Stoneware
