Leon Nigrosh, 1940 -2008

By Chet Williamson

Leon I. Nigrosh, the dean of Worcester art critics and a nationally recognized ceramic artist, died of liver disease on Feb. 6, at the Hampshire Care nursing facility in Northampton. Born in Cambridge in 1940, his father was an architect and watercolorist. His mother, who survives him at 96, attended the Massachusetts School of Art.

A longtime contributor to Worcester Magazine, Nigrosh also wrote insightful and critical reviews for Art New England, ArtsMedia, Artscope, The Pulse and The Worcester Phoenix, among others. Additionally, he is the author of three textbooks on the art of ceramic work — Claywork: Form and Idea in Ceramic Design, Lowfire: Other Ways to Work in Clay and Sculpting Clay.

In his tenure with Worcester Magazine, the artist and writer expounded on all things great and small under the banner of arts and entertainment — from poetry readings to jazz gigs, from dance recitals to literary heroes. But art — in all its forms — was his forte.

A skilled reviewer known for his candor, Nigrosh was an empathetic critic who wrote from the vantage point of being an artist himself. In his early days, his reviews tended to be academic; but in recent years, he revealed a more shooting-from-the-lip style that was more direct, honest and, often times, startling.

Consider his piece on the maquettes of Robert Arneson, a show that was held in Worcester in 2003. Here's how he opens: "If the R&B singer Rufus Thomas (1930-2001) was the ‘Funkiest Man Alive,' then surely Robert Arneson (1930-1992) was the ‘Funkiest Potter Alive' — and the current exhibition in the Cantor Art Gallery at Holy Cross proves it. Arneson started off his career just as any other potter in the late 1950s, by making beautifully thrown pots on a potter's wheel and glazing them in subtle shades of brown. But then came the '60s and he was, after all, on the West Coast — Arneson was working in proximity to ceramic icon Peter Voulkos (1924-2002) — master of Abstract Expressionist pottery. But it wasn't until one day in 1963 while Arneson was sitting on the toilet that he realized his calling. Shortly thereafter he produced ‘Funk John,' a full-size, hand-built clay commode that was scatologically complete. His mission was to break down any and all social and artistic boundaries through his offbeat manipulation of clay." 

A memorial service for Leon Nigrosh will be held at the Higgins Armory Museum auditorium, 100 Barber Ave., Worcester, on Monday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m.. Donations in his memory may be made to the Worcester Center for Crafts or to the arts organization of the donor’s choice.

Susan Stoops, the curator of contemporary art at the Worcester Art Museum, says Nigrosh was one of the first people in the local arts community that she met upon arriving in 1999. "He was welcoming, but also eager to be candid with me about his opinions about the city of Worcester, about art and culture and about the role of the museum.

"He came to the exhibitions as a critic, but also as a practicing artist. I think he used the opportunities as a writer to learn about work that was very unlike what he does. I think part of the reason he pursued the writing was because he enjoyed being intimate with a lot of different kinds of art forms."

Fellow scribe Brian Goslow worked with Nigrosh at many of the aforementioned publications, most recently at artscope magazine. "It happened real quick," he says. "We found out maybe two weeks ago that he wasn't doing well. He never let on that he was sick. That's the saddest thing.

In discussing Nigrosh's writing, Goslow says, "He was really hitting his own as a writer in the last couple of years. When he came to artscope he was just phenomenal. Instead of a good writer covering Worcester, he became a great writer covering New England. He could cover any art, which was always surprising, because he was always the expert on ceramics."

Nigrosh had such a recognizable name as a critic that his own work was often overlooked. It should be noted that he held a BFA in ceramics from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA in ceramics from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He was also a respected educator. He has taught at Clark University, Rhode Island College, the Worcester Center for Crafts and most recently at Quinsigamond Community College. In addition, Nigrosh conducted master classes and workshops in all facets of clay work. For more see: www.leonnigrosh.com.

Artist Donna Hamil Talman was one of his students. "When I came to Worcester more than 30 years ago," she says, "I was delighted to discover the Craft Center and the ceramics department. At the time I had no background in the arts, so Leon, who arrived for class on his motorcycle and wearing his leather jacket, was my first model of an artist who took himself and his work seriously and aimed high, and he encouraged us to do the same."

Recalling his friend and colleague, photographer Stephen DiRado says, "If you were involved or participated in any facet of the local art scene, starting as far back as the '70s and right up to the present, Nigrosh has had some effect on your cultural life. He was a practitioner, mentor, critic and one of the most unique and prominent figures in the arts.

"It might be that you own a Nigrosh or two, proudly displaying a porcelain platter, globe, cylinder or mosaic wall piece. Leon the teacher has taught thousands of aspiring studio potters. To know Nigrosh one on one, he was a solitary and sensitive soul; his daughter Maya was the center of his world. Now gone, he leaves behind an establishment of artists and patrons who are indebted to his long commitment to help mold the arts that exist today in Worcester." o

Chet Williamson may be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it