Richard Earl Peeler papers

Born on Aug. 8, 1926, in Indianapolis, Richard Peeler began formal studies in art at the city’s Arsenal Technical High School where he graduated in 1944. With World War II still raging, Peeler joined the military service and, at the age of 19 in the closing months of the conflict, qualified as a master sergeant. Upon his return to Indiana, Peeler studied English at Butler University from 1946-48; he then transferred to DePauw University, receiving his AB degree in art in 1949. Moving on to graduate work in education at Indiana University and Butler University, Peeler earned his teacher’s certificate from Indiana University in 1951. Peeler later continued his studies receiving his MAT from IU in 1960. Following his certification, he accepted a faculty position at Arsenal Technical High School, teaching courses in art, photography, ceramics and sculpture until 1958, when he returned to DePauw to teach.

A member of the University’s Art Department for 14 years, Peeler was first appointed instructor in art, promoted to assistant professor in 1961 and subsequently to associate professor in 1965. During his tenure at DePauw, Peeler assumed duties in art education, crafts, sculpture and photography, but he exerted his chief influence on the Art Department by expanding its offerings in ceramics, developing them into a popular and coherent program located in the basement of Emison Art Center.

Seizing another opportunity to further develop his skills as an artist and educator, Peeler served as a visiting lecturer at Kyoto City College of Fine Arts in Japan during the spring term of his 1965-66 sabbatical. He taught another six years at DePauw before resigning to pursue his creative and artistic interest full-time alongside his wife, Marj, also a ceramics artist, in a studio near their home in Reelsville, Ind. There, the husband and wife team created functional stoneware pottery, which, in turn, provided the livelihood to pursue their creative work. In addition, Peeler made lathe-turned wooden vessels as well as metal and hand-carved wooden sculpture.

In a project that continues to have an impact on ceramics education world-wide, Peeler produced from 1965-68 eight educational films entitled the Ceramic Art Films Series. His four instructional films examine the what, why and how of ceramics, outline the techniques of two shaping methods, and explore the variety and versatility of ceramic tiles and mosaics. Two segments of the series, shot on location in Japan, look at the Japanese origins of many universal ceramics techniques and give insights into that culture through the ceramics methods and philosophies of 10 potters, five featured on each film. Each is seen carrying on the work of his ancestors, and the film includes footage of the multi-chambered Japanese kiln being fired. Eight outstanding American potters are highlighted in the final two films, each observed in the artist’s own studio while discussing his/her personal philosophy and demonstrating a variety of forming and glazing methods.

During his long artistic career, Peeler was the author of numerous articles in Ceramics Monthly, including, “first DePauw Ceramic Show” (April 1960), “Coiling Building” (October 1960), “Throw a Hundred Pots” (April 1962), “A Ceramic Screen” (October 1963), “Tall Pots from Short Kilns” (February 1964), “DePauw Ceramic Show” (February 1965), “No Custom Orders” (April 1984), as well as “Flattened Pots” (October 1961) and “Ceramic Wall Mosaic” (May 1964, with Peeler providing the cover photographs for the latter two issues. His work also was featured in Who’s Who in American Art, Mosaics by M.L. Stribling (Crown Publishers, New York 1965) and many other books and periodicals.

Elected president of the National Council on Education for the Ceramics Arts in 1970, Peeler had previously served the group as a board member, director-at-large, vice president and president-elect. He had also been director of the Indiana Artists-Craftsmen and the Indiana Potters Guild.

Long after Peeler left the faculty, he remained a staunch supporter of DePauw and remained active in the University’s art community. His work was displayed in the May 1999 alumni reunion art show, along with the work of Garret Boone '54 and Willis H. “Bing” Davis '59 (who also taught in the Art Department), and during a retrospective exhibit for DePauw’s Sesquicentennial in 1987. In labor of love for alma mater, Peeler filmed DePauw football games for the coaching staff, completing his 39th season shortly before his death in December 1998.