Rose Cabat

Rose Cabat (June 27, 1914 – January 25, 2015) was an American studio ceramicist, classified as part of the mid-century modern movement who was best known for her innovative glazes upon small porcelain pots called 'feelies' often in the shape of onions and figs, and bowls. She was the oldest known actively practicing pottery artist in the United States.

Cabat was born as Rose Katz in 1914 in the Bronx, and married Ernest "Erni" Cabat in 1936. She began working in ceramics in 1940 after her husband brought home some clay from his job as an assistant to Vally Wiselthier, an art deco ceramicist who was making pieces for General Ceramics in Keasbey, New Jersey. After seeing her preliminary pieces, Erni gave Rose a membership at Greenwich House, where she learned how to use a potter's wheel.

Shortly after their first son George was born, he was found to have intractable asthma. The Cabat's decided to move to Arizona around 1942 in order to alleviate his condition. During World War II Rose worked as a riveter at the Davis-Monthan Army Air Field repairing war-damaged aircraft.

Rose was able to make primitive ceramics from the extra clay that Erni was able to obtain from brickyards. She made some coil figures until Erni was able to convert a washing machine to a potter's wheel. Eventually, Erni ordered a Randall kickwheel, which Rose used to the end. She made ceramics in her spare time, as she worked in a munitions plant during World War II.