Glenn Robert (Bob) Kinzie, a local ceramicist, passed away on July 17. Over his nearly 70 years as a potter, he worked and taught from studios in Southern California, Northern California and Asheville.
Aesthetics: a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art.
Whether it was a haircut, a painting, a wine glass, ceramics or anything in between, Bob Kinzie focused on aesthetics, appropriateness for use or space, and function. Environment and craft were never considered lightly or as ancillary to experience — to Bob, they were front and center. In this area, he had acute perception, robust knowledge and deep convictions.
He was a master craftsperson and left a legacy of remarkable ceramics. Today, his pieces are highly sought after. He was a pioneer and stubbornly and consistently pushed the limits of the craft and convention in his field. Generations of potters learned and adopted the techniques that he developed.
As in ceramics, he chose his own unique path in life. He cared little for convention and what we all “should” do. This endeared him to some and alienated others. Regardless, he held true to his chosen path and did not compromise or bend on his convictions. Agree or disagree with him, it is tough not to respect him for his commitment to his standards and code.
Bob had a strong hippie pedigree. He was 32 years old in 1964, when Ken Kesey and 13 Merry Pranksters boarded “Furthur” at Kesey’s ranch in La Honda, Calif., and set off eastward to celebrate the publication of Kesey’s novel Sometimes a Great Notion and to visit the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City. Tom Wolfe’s Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test chronicled the cultural shift — and the drug use — led by the Merry Pranksters. Bob hosted Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters at his studio in Southern California, visited Kesey’s ranch and traveled with the group.
Bob was a fan of LSD, and his experience with hallucinogens informed his views on life and death. He was totally unafraid of death based on his transcendent experiences while on acid. He described experiences when he left his body, visited other locations and people, and then returned. After the trip, he researched and identified where he was, what he saw and who he was with.
Bob hated yellow flowers, the color chartreuse and slow drivers in the fast lane. The latter he labeled “boobahs,” and he would mercilessly tailgate them until they were just as irate as he was. His terrified passengers often needed to replace their underwear after even a short drive. Later in life and right before he finally gave up his license, no mailbox in the neighborhood was safe nor any cart in the Home Depot parking lot.
As in life, Bob had clear ideas about his death. He was perfectly content with the course of his life on Earth and completely fine with ending that time. Indeed, he hoped to accelerate the last months and was impatient for his body to catch up with his wishes. We are certain that it was a relief to him to pass.
Bob was born in Chicago on May 2, 1932, to Glenn Kinzie and Mary Kinzie (Slabaugh). He is survived by his spouse, Sandra Lanou Kinzie, and two children.
We wish him well in the next step in his transcendent journey.
— Randall Lanou
Creedmoor, N.C.
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