Alvin Lustig design on a pre- Architectural Pottery John Wells pot
The photo is from a 1949 show at the Evans and Reeves Nursery. The garden pottery was a project assigned by La Gardo Tackett, who was working as an Instructor at the California School of Art. His students were assigned the task of creating garden ware that could be sold at the Evans and Reeves Nursery.
The nursery commissioned the students to design the line and plan the merchandising. The pots were put on display at the nursery. VKG supplied the furniture.
Max Lawrence and his wife Rita started Architectural Pottery in 1950, after they saw designs from La Gardo Tackett's students. Tackett, John Follis, and Rex Goode all worked as designers for the new company.
Along with Tackett, Alvin Lustig also taught at the California School of Art; as did Edgardo Contini, Rafael Soriano, and Bernard Rosenthal. Despite the amazing faculty, the school was only around for a year. The school's owner drained the accounts and ran off to Mexico.