Theodore “Teddy” Pierre, Jr.
Teddy Pierre (1951–2024), a second-generation master brick mason and founding member of the New Orleans Master Crafts Guild, was beloved throughout New Orleans for his dedication to his craft, his community, and his heritage. He was deeply inspired by his father, a highly regarded craftsman, who instilled in him an abiding sense of pride and appreciation for the enduring value of his trade.
“My dad would tell me, ‘I can take a pile of bricks and a few sacks of mortar and a pile of sand, and at the end of the process I have put together something that is beautiful, something that is remarkable, something that people cherish. I get a special sense of completion, a sense of satisfaction, that I can’t get out of anything else that I do.’”
Pierre received a master’s degree in architecture from Tulane University, but his heart was always with the trades. “I discovered that there was so much regard for my dad among the craftsmen, among the architects, among the owners, that this was something that I wanted to do,” he said. He went on to become one of the city’s finest heritage brick masons and a passionate advocate for the building arts. The work of his hands can be seen in the restored old tombs of New Orleans cemeteries and at the historic African House at Melrose Plantation, among many other sites.
Pierre’s master’s thesis called for the creation of a Center for the Preservation and Propagation of Quality Craftsmanship and Louisiana Architecture. Through his words and work, he has inspired many to follow this path.
