F. Carlton Ball, Artist And Ceramics Teacher

TACOMA - F. Carlton Ball, a retired University of Puget Sound ceramics teacher whose work appeared in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C., has died.

Mr. Ball, 81, taught for more than 50 years, including stints at the University of Southern California, the University of Wisconsin, Southern Illinois University, the California School of Fine Arts, Mills College and UPS. He recently was a teacher and artist-in-residence at Tacoma Community College.

"He was the most inspiring teacher you could imagine. He could really turn a class on," said Ken Stevens, chairman of the UPS arts department.

Mr. Ball was born April 2, 1911, in Sutter Creek, Calif.

Hoping to paint like muralist Diego Rivera, Mr. Ball earned a master's degree in fresco painting at USC. Soon he turned to pottery, jewelry and sculpture.

In a 1981 interview, Mr. Ball said he became even more inspired by teaching than his work as an artist and craftsman.

Mr. Ball's works appeared in 500 galleries in North America, Europe and Asia. He was a contributor to Ceramics Monthly and Ceramics Industry magazines and wrote two books on pottery.