Lewis, Lorelyn

Historical Note

Smith Russell (1895-1979) was born in Lincoln, Illinois, the son of a faculty member at Lincoln University. In 1904, the family settled in Claremont, where Smith's father, William Polk Russell, had taken a position as instructor in mathematics at Pomona College. Smith graduated from Pomona College in 1917. He began his career in ceramics in 1946 by purchasing Yylyne Studio in Los Angeles, whose assets at that time consisted of a single employee, a small electric kiln, a small mixer for making slip, a paint booth, glazes and some molds. Smith began develioping proprietary glazes and designed new articles which were painted, glazed and fired essentially one item at a time.

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