Lea Henie Halpern was born on September 8, 1901 in Mikuliczyn (Austria until 1914; Poland until 1945; now Ukraine). She lived with her family in Berlin until 1917. Then they moved to Amsterdam. She followed courses at the Quellinus school (Bert Nienhuis), at the  Studien Atelier für Malerei & Plastik in Berlin, Kunstgewerbeschule des Oesterreichen Museums für Kunst und Industrie, Vienna (Prof. Michael Powolny) and at Rijksschool voor Klei & Aardewerkindustrie in Gouda.
 
The quality of her work was recognized early; both Queen Emma and Princess Juliana bought work at her first show in 1931. The following year the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam gave her a one-woman show and bought some vases. In 1936 a short but very informative Polygoon film has been made about her work ("De Amsterdamse Pottenbakster LEA HALPERN").

"Her work has great variety; while the shapes are classic (like Shang bronzes), the textures vary from satin smooth to eggshell to lava. The palette is often wild: turquoise with splashes of purple, or orange with gold. Subtle shades like pale green celadon often have the crackled surface of ancient Chinese ware. The pieces beg to be touched."

In 1939 Lea Halpern was offered a show at Holland House in Rockefeller Center, which she accepted. She was so concerned about shipping her works that she sailed with the collection on the liner S.S. Rotterdam. She planned to return home, but the outbreak of the war made it impossible. Lea Halpern decided to live in the United States permanently, married to Lincoln Newfield and settled outside of Baltimore, where she continued to work until 1976/80.
 
She died in 1985 in Manchester (UK). She is buried in Israel.

Early years (Education)         Period I (1930-40)            Period II (1941 – 50)               Period III (1951 – 60)

Period IV (1961 – 75)           Period V (1976 - 85)         Olympia & York                        Doyle New York