Peter Lenzo

Peter Lenzo died peacefully at home after bravely facing decades of seizures and their repercussions while still managing to live and love to the fullest and to transform his intellect and heart and soul into beautiful and meaningful art. He was born in NY City, grew up in Detroit, and later lived in California, South Carolina, and Oak Park, Illinois. 

Ceramic art was a major focus of Peter’s life, beginning with his first clay class at age 10 at the School of Arts and Crafts in Detroit, followed by pottery classes at Highland Park High, and the MFA program at Wayne State University. He taught art to students of all ages, from family campers to middle school and college students and older adults, and he became a nationally recognized ceramic sculptor known for his unique and multi-faceted self-portrait sculptures based on traditional southern face jugs. His work is in many private and several museum collections, including the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery, and is featured in numerous books, exhibition catalogues, and articles about ceramic sculpture and Southern art.

Peter was kind and generous to everyone, including strangers and acquaintances, students and colleagues, and his many friends and big family. He is survived by his children, Tyler (and Ashley), Roxanne (and Will), and Joe J., and his grandchildren, Waverly, and Kosta, and he lived long enough to hear the in-utero heartbeat of Waverly’s little sister. Peter is also survived by his siblings, Amy (and Mike), Anthony (and Jen), Kris (and Sheri), Lisa (and Charlie), and Steve (and Deb); his many nieces and nephews—Miles, Jaxon, Emily, Dom, Lizzie, Hannah, Natalie, Cynthia, Olivia, Cloey, Charla, Dylan, Emerson, Eliot, Joe B., Rose, Kita, Kaitlyn, Wyatt, Emmett, and Ada—and his grandnephews and grandnieces: Greer, Weston, Harrison, Oliver, Max, Liam, and Cialyn. 

Memorial services will be held this spring and/or summer, times and places to be determined. Donations can be made to the charity or organization of your choice, or, as Peter often did, by handing a five or a ten to someone on the street who asks for a little help.