North Carolina Ceramic Artists
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Andrew Stephenson
Carolina folk pots and folk pottery from England inspire the pots. The throwing technique and discipline was learned during a two-year apprenticeship with Matt Jones. Matt is a former apprentice of Connecticut potter Todd Piker and North Carolina potter Mark Hewitt. The throwing cycle typically will be a 4 to 6 week process starting with the turning of larger pieces like vases, bowls, and pitchers. Andrew then starts making plates, pie plates, serving bowls and finally finishing with small pots like mugs, small bowls, and bud vases. Once Andrew can pick up the freshly made pots without damaging them, he then decorates each pot and then raw glazes them with a variety of different glazes. The throwing cycle ends with the brushwork decoration being applied to the fully dried pots. With the cycle complete, the kiln is then loaded.
http://ajspottery.com/
Carolina folk pots and folk pottery from England inspire the pots. The throwing technique and discipline was learned during a two-year apprenticeship with Matt Jones. Matt is a former apprentice of Connecticut potter Todd Piker and North Carolina potter Mark Hewitt. The throwing cycle typically will be a 4 to 6 week process starting with the turning of larger pieces like vases, bowls, and pitchers. Andrew then starts making plates, pie plates, serving bowls and finally finishing with small pots like mugs, small bowls, and bud vases. Once Andrew can pick up the freshly made pots without damaging them, he then decorates each pot and then raw glazes them with a variety of different glazes. The throwing cycle ends with the brushwork decoration being applied to the fully dried pots. With the cycle complete, the kiln is then loaded.
http://ajspottery.com/
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Mark Peters
I make wheel-thrown, wood-fired functional pottery. Each piece is made by hand—a lot of the work is altered or assembled off the wheel. My work is a collaboration between me, the clay, and the fire. I work with the clay’s inherent qualities to make objects that are complimented through the wood firing. Processes in nature such as wind, gravity, and erosion inspire my work. Each pot is organic and loose in form while bold and defined in structure. Wood firing is an intensive process, physically demanding but worth the work. Wood fired pots demand attention and respect. They have unique characteristics that make each pot one of a kind.
.pinerootpottery.com
I make wheel-thrown, wood-fired functional pottery. Each piece is made by hand—a lot of the work is altered or assembled off the wheel. My work is a collaboration between me, the clay, and the fire. I work with the clay’s inherent qualities to make objects that are complimented through the wood firing. Processes in nature such as wind, gravity, and erosion inspire my work. Each pot is organic and loose in form while bold and defined in structure. Wood firing is an intensive process, physically demanding but worth the work. Wood fired pots demand attention and respect. They have unique characteristics that make each pot one of a kind.
.pinerootpottery.com
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Suze Lindsay
Pots are like people. Their form is described by some of the same definitions–lips, feet, and shoulders, and their character and personality can be expressed by being open, warm, generous, rotund, sensuous, loose or jolly. My use of the vessel/female metaphor lies in the subtle suggestion of figure in form. Vases have soft female curves and decorations that imply clothing. Many of my forms are raised on a pedestal like foot that serves as a “skirt”. My method of stacking various volumes allows me to play with human proportions and relationships. Altering a pot out of the round creates contrasting angles that suggest hips and waists. The use of line and pattern accentuates the mood or nature of the pot, and can prompt it’s use for specific occassions. The techniques I use when making my pots allows me to create each one with a personality of its own.
-Suze Lindsay
http://www.forkmountainpottery.net
Pots are like people. Their form is described by some of the same definitions–lips, feet, and shoulders, and their character and personality can be expressed by being open, warm, generous, rotund, sensuous, loose or jolly. My use of the vessel/female metaphor lies in the subtle suggestion of figure in form. Vases have soft female curves and decorations that imply clothing. Many of my forms are raised on a pedestal like foot that serves as a “skirt”. My method of stacking various volumes allows me to play with human proportions and relationships. Altering a pot out of the round creates contrasting angles that suggest hips and waists. The use of line and pattern accentuates the mood or nature of the pot, and can prompt it’s use for specific occassions. The techniques I use when making my pots allows me to create each one with a personality of its own.
-Suze Lindsay
http://www.forkmountainpottery.net
![Picture](/uploads/2/7/1/5/27159917/9603388.jpg)
Matt Jones
The photos above were taken by photographer Naomi Johnson during the Leicester Artists studio tour August 2010. I was applying handles to some quart pitchers that Saturday morning and she snapped some nice photos as I worked. In the photo at left is a caption on a large jug in the showroom. I do occasionally write small phrases or sentences on pots. In this case, I am reminding myself (or anyone else) that life is too precious to waste. We all have distractions and a certain predisposition to focus on the things in our lives which annoy us, but with a little effort we can rise above this low-level static and be our best selves.
http://www.jonespottery.com/
The photos above were taken by photographer Naomi Johnson during the Leicester Artists studio tour August 2010. I was applying handles to some quart pitchers that Saturday morning and she snapped some nice photos as I worked. In the photo at left is a caption on a large jug in the showroom. I do occasionally write small phrases or sentences on pots. In this case, I am reminding myself (or anyone else) that life is too precious to waste. We all have distractions and a certain predisposition to focus on the things in our lives which annoy us, but with a little effort we can rise above this low-level static and be our best selves.
http://www.jonespottery.com/
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Jon Arsenault
I live and work in Asheville, North Carolina, where I have lived since graduating from East Carolina University in 1996 with a B.F.A. in Ceramics. I came to Asheville as a resident artist at the Odyssey Center and liked it so much I decided to stay. I have worked for Bernwell Pottery in this area and other potters around the state. I have completed assistantships at both Penland School for the Craft and John C. Campbell Folk School and I am a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. I regularly participate in craft fairs and gallery shows in the area and I also wholesale and consign my work to many retail outlets. www.youngscovepottery.com
I live and work in Asheville, North Carolina, where I have lived since graduating from East Carolina University in 1996 with a B.F.A. in Ceramics. I came to Asheville as a resident artist at the Odyssey Center and liked it so much I decided to stay. I have worked for Bernwell Pottery in this area and other potters around the state. I have completed assistantships at both Penland School for the Craft and John C. Campbell Folk School and I am a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. I regularly participate in craft fairs and gallery shows in the area and I also wholesale and consign my work to many retail outlets. www.youngscovepottery.com
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Ben Owen III
Ben Owen III is a potter from Seagrove, North Carolina. His forefathers came to North Carolina from England as early as the late 1700s to ply their craft and furnish storage jars and other utilitarian wares for the early settlers. Ben's grandfather, master potter Ben Owen, Sr., admired early oriental pottery displayed in museums and collections and translated those works into his own style of pottery. Ben the III's work was influenced by his grandfather at an early age. He studied pottery as an apprentice with his grandfather and later at East Carolina University. Like his grandfather, Ben III's pottery reflects a foundation of traditional designs as well as oriental translations. In later years, he traveled around the US attending workshops and conferences and abroad to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and recently to China where he diversified his experience while taking advantage of an exchange program and visiting local artists.
http://www.benowenpottery.com/
Ben Owen III is a potter from Seagrove, North Carolina. His forefathers came to North Carolina from England as early as the late 1700s to ply their craft and furnish storage jars and other utilitarian wares for the early settlers. Ben's grandfather, master potter Ben Owen, Sr., admired early oriental pottery displayed in museums and collections and translated those works into his own style of pottery. Ben the III's work was influenced by his grandfather at an early age. He studied pottery as an apprentice with his grandfather and later at East Carolina University. Like his grandfather, Ben III's pottery reflects a foundation of traditional designs as well as oriental translations. In later years, he traveled around the US attending workshops and conferences and abroad to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and recently to China where he diversified his experience while taking advantage of an exchange program and visiting local artists.
http://www.benowenpottery.com/
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Gertrude Graham Smith
Gertrude Graham Smith, nicknamed Gay, is a studio potter and teaching artist who singles fires her porcelain ware in a soda kiln near Penland, NC. Her grant awards include a North Carolina Arts Council Visual Arts Fellowship in 2008/9, and Regional Artist Project Grants in 2009/10 and 2012/13. She’s held artist-in-residencies at the Archie Bray Foundation and at Penland School. Her teaching credits include workshops at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Penland School, the Harvard Ceramics Studio, and the Findhorn Foundation in Northern Scotland. Her work is represented internationally, and is in many collections including the Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC and Yingge Ceramics Museum in Taiwan. She was featured in Ceramics Monthly magazine in 2007 & 10, and her work can be viewed in numerous publications including Making Marks and Functional Pottery by Robin Hopper, and Working with Clay by Susan Peterson.
About the Pottery:
My pottery is made of porcelain clay formed and altered on the potter's wheel, glazed when leather-hard, and fired to cone 10 in a soda kiln. I seek for fire and kiln atmosphere to decorate my pots by creating responsive surfaces and forms. I am interested in the tactile quality of clay, and my pieces appeal to the sense of touch and the scale of the human hand. The pots look alive, a bit whimsical, and I intend that they will bring life, beauty, and years of enjoyment into the lives of those who use them.
http://www.gertrudegrahamsmith.com
Gertrude Graham Smith, nicknamed Gay, is a studio potter and teaching artist who singles fires her porcelain ware in a soda kiln near Penland, NC. Her grant awards include a North Carolina Arts Council Visual Arts Fellowship in 2008/9, and Regional Artist Project Grants in 2009/10 and 2012/13. She’s held artist-in-residencies at the Archie Bray Foundation and at Penland School. Her teaching credits include workshops at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Penland School, the Harvard Ceramics Studio, and the Findhorn Foundation in Northern Scotland. Her work is represented internationally, and is in many collections including the Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC and Yingge Ceramics Museum in Taiwan. She was featured in Ceramics Monthly magazine in 2007 & 10, and her work can be viewed in numerous publications including Making Marks and Functional Pottery by Robin Hopper, and Working with Clay by Susan Peterson.
About the Pottery:
My pottery is made of porcelain clay formed and altered on the potter's wheel, glazed when leather-hard, and fired to cone 10 in a soda kiln. I seek for fire and kiln atmosphere to decorate my pots by creating responsive surfaces and forms. I am interested in the tactile quality of clay, and my pieces appeal to the sense of touch and the scale of the human hand. The pots look alive, a bit whimsical, and I intend that they will bring life, beauty, and years of enjoyment into the lives of those who use them.
http://www.gertrudegrahamsmith.com
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Mark Hewitt
Born in Stoke-on-Trent, England, Mark is the son and grandson of directors of Spode, the fine china manufacturers. As a student at Bristol University in the early 1970′s, Mark read Bernard Leach’s “A Potter’s Book,” and decided to become a studio potter rather than an industrial manager. This decision led to a three-year apprenticeship with Michael Cardew, and later another with Todd Piker in Connecticut, where Mark met his wife, Carol. In 1983 they moved to Pittsboro NC and set up their pottery. Mark built a very large wood kiln and began making the distinctive functional pots for which he is known, specializing in very large planters and jars, along with finely made smaller items. He uses local clays and blends the different North Carolinian folk traditions together into a contemporary style that has attracted a sizeable following. His work has been featured in the Smithsonian magazine and on the cover of American Craftmagazine, he has written extensively in the ceramic press, and he has exhibited in London, New York and Tokyo, as well as throughout the US. He is well-represented in museum and private collections.
http://hewittpottery.com
Born in Stoke-on-Trent, England, Mark is the son and grandson of directors of Spode, the fine china manufacturers. As a student at Bristol University in the early 1970′s, Mark read Bernard Leach’s “A Potter’s Book,” and decided to become a studio potter rather than an industrial manager. This decision led to a three-year apprenticeship with Michael Cardew, and later another with Todd Piker in Connecticut, where Mark met his wife, Carol. In 1983 they moved to Pittsboro NC and set up their pottery. Mark built a very large wood kiln and began making the distinctive functional pots for which he is known, specializing in very large planters and jars, along with finely made smaller items. He uses local clays and blends the different North Carolinian folk traditions together into a contemporary style that has attracted a sizeable following. His work has been featured in the Smithsonian magazine and on the cover of American Craftmagazine, he has written extensively in the ceramic press, and he has exhibited in London, New York and Tokyo, as well as throughout the US. He is well-represented in museum and private collections.
http://hewittpottery.com
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Cynthia Bringle
What is a pot
a pot is not
just any gray
little bowl of clay
a pot is a pot
for daffodils
or a porridge pot
or a pot for pills
cruets and goblets
jars and jugs
platters and plates
and trays and mugs
shallow pots
or dark and deep
pot to give
and pots to keep
touch them, hold them
pick them up
batter bowl
or saké cup
and feel the curve
of earth and sky
kitchen warm
or springtime shy
a pot is mood
of many hues
but most of all
a pot is to use.
http://www.cynthiabringlepottery.com/
What is a pot
a pot is not
just any gray
little bowl of clay
a pot is a pot
for daffodils
or a porridge pot
or a pot for pills
cruets and goblets
jars and jugs
platters and plates
and trays and mugs
shallow pots
or dark and deep
pot to give
and pots to keep
touch them, hold them
pick them up
batter bowl
or saké cup
and feel the curve
of earth and sky
kitchen warm
or springtime shy
a pot is mood
of many hues
but most of all
a pot is to use.
http://www.cynthiabringlepottery.com/
![Picture](/uploads/2/7/1/5/27159917/690287.jpg)
MICHAEL KLINE
Michael has been a studio potter since 1993. He studied pottery, painting, and printmaking at the University of Tennessee and holds a BFA. He also studied under Michael Simon at the Penland School of Crafts in 1989. After teaching pottery the Westside YMCA in New York City he joined Mark Shapiro in Worthington, MA and built a studio and kiln atStonepool Pottery. In 1993 Michael began his business and created wood fired-salt glazed tableware with a botanical theme in Massachusetts until 1998 when he was awarded a Resident Artist position at the Penland School of Crafts. While at Penland Michael worked on a body of larger scale stoneware pottery inspired by the traditional stoneware of the Catawba Valley and Seagrove areas of North Carolina. At the end of his tenure as Resident Artist Michael designed a kiln to fire his new body of stoneware. The kiln is designed to fire exclusively with remainder/ waste wood from local lumber mills. The kiln also is large enough to fire his large-scale pottery as well his tableware. The kiln is fired six times a year. The local stoneware he uses features botanical themes as well as traditional glass “runs” and alkaline ash glaze. Michael has written articles for the Studio Potter magazine and writes regularly on his blog, “Sawdust & Dirt”. His work has been published in numerous pottery books, including Robin Hopper’s “Functional Pottery.” He has led many workshops and given presentations of his work at universities and clay centers across the country, including the Penland School. Michael appeared in the 2007 film “Craft in America” which broadcast on PBS. Michael lives in Bakersville, North Carolina where he is a member of the Potters of the Roan potters guild. He is married to goldsmith Stacey Lane and they have two daughters, Evelyn and Lillian.
http://www.klinepottery.com/
Michael has been a studio potter since 1993. He studied pottery, painting, and printmaking at the University of Tennessee and holds a BFA. He also studied under Michael Simon at the Penland School of Crafts in 1989. After teaching pottery the Westside YMCA in New York City he joined Mark Shapiro in Worthington, MA and built a studio and kiln atStonepool Pottery. In 1993 Michael began his business and created wood fired-salt glazed tableware with a botanical theme in Massachusetts until 1998 when he was awarded a Resident Artist position at the Penland School of Crafts. While at Penland Michael worked on a body of larger scale stoneware pottery inspired by the traditional stoneware of the Catawba Valley and Seagrove areas of North Carolina. At the end of his tenure as Resident Artist Michael designed a kiln to fire his new body of stoneware. The kiln is designed to fire exclusively with remainder/ waste wood from local lumber mills. The kiln also is large enough to fire his large-scale pottery as well his tableware. The kiln is fired six times a year. The local stoneware he uses features botanical themes as well as traditional glass “runs” and alkaline ash glaze. Michael has written articles for the Studio Potter magazine and writes regularly on his blog, “Sawdust & Dirt”. His work has been published in numerous pottery books, including Robin Hopper’s “Functional Pottery.” He has led many workshops and given presentations of his work at universities and clay centers across the country, including the Penland School. Michael appeared in the 2007 film “Craft in America” which broadcast on PBS. Michael lives in Bakersville, North Carolina where he is a member of the Potters of the Roan potters guild. He is married to goldsmith Stacey Lane and they have two daughters, Evelyn and Lillian.
http://www.klinepottery.com/
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Courtney Martin
As a gardener, cook, mother, and potter, I think a lot about food. It makes me so happy to serve something I know to be nourishing. I think that is why making pots seems so special to me. I love setting a table full of different bowls and plates and trays containing wholesome foods.
When I am in my studio making pots, I consider how I intend the pots to be used. Different pots for different foods. I work in series, and try to improve the form on each successive pot. The rhythm of my kickwheel, and the pace of making slab work are just the right speed for me. When I glaze my pots I consider how foods will be presented in the pottery. I draw bold patterns on my simple pots. I try to bring something of an urban sensibility to traditional forms and techniques.
The environmental implications of my craft are important to me, so I make my firings carbon neutral by using waste wood from the local saw mill to fire my kiln. I appreciate the connection that tending the fire affords. Wood crackles quietly and I am directly involved with the kiln. I love that the fire, ash, and salt make their mark on my pots.
I aim to make pots with integrity that radiate sweetness and joy.
http://www.courtneymartinpottery.com
As a gardener, cook, mother, and potter, I think a lot about food. It makes me so happy to serve something I know to be nourishing. I think that is why making pots seems so special to me. I love setting a table full of different bowls and plates and trays containing wholesome foods.
When I am in my studio making pots, I consider how I intend the pots to be used. Different pots for different foods. I work in series, and try to improve the form on each successive pot. The rhythm of my kickwheel, and the pace of making slab work are just the right speed for me. When I glaze my pots I consider how foods will be presented in the pottery. I draw bold patterns on my simple pots. I try to bring something of an urban sensibility to traditional forms and techniques.
The environmental implications of my craft are important to me, so I make my firings carbon neutral by using waste wood from the local saw mill to fire my kiln. I appreciate the connection that tending the fire affords. Wood crackles quietly and I am directly involved with the kiln. I love that the fire, ash, and salt make their mark on my pots.
I aim to make pots with integrity that radiate sweetness and joy.
http://www.courtneymartinpottery.com
![Picture](/uploads/2/7/1/5/27159917/3839136.jpg)
Terry and Anna King
Terry and Anna King are lifelong residents of Seagrove, the pottery capital of the United States. While very young, they began a relationship with Dot and Walter Auman (potters and owners of the now legendary “Seagrove Pottery”), and consequently developed an interest in clay. The Aumans encouraged the Kings, and eventually hired them in 1985.While working for Dot and Walter, they were instructed in most of the tasks required to run and maintain a true southern, traditional, production pottery. Their duties included mixing clay and glazes, “turning” and glazing pots, and loading kilns. It was during this two year internship that they developed an intense love for folk art. In 1987, Terry, Anna, and their daughter, Crystal, opened their first pottery on the site of the old Joe Owen Pottery, on Hwy. 705, south of Seagrove. Soon after, Anna was taken under the wing of master potter Charlie Owen, brother of Joe and Ben Owen. They have since built a studio closer to home and another studio, called “Southern Visions”, on Hwy. 705, “The Potter’s Highway”.Although the Kings use their creativity to produce functional, every day, pottery, their true talents emerge when they direct their hands, minds, and hearts toward sculptural, folk pottery. These pieces include handbuilt lions, rams, chickens, and Noah’s arks, as well as wheel thrown and altered jugs, face jugs, and grape cluster pitchers. It is while creating these highly collectable, one of a kind pieces, that Terry, Anna, and Crystal are happiest; and their abilities and contentment is evident in each and every piece! If you would like more information about our shop, or our work please e-mail us at [email protected].
Terry and Anna King are lifelong residents of Seagrove, the pottery capital of the United States. While very young, they began a relationship with Dot and Walter Auman (potters and owners of the now legendary “Seagrove Pottery”), and consequently developed an interest in clay. The Aumans encouraged the Kings, and eventually hired them in 1985.While working for Dot and Walter, they were instructed in most of the tasks required to run and maintain a true southern, traditional, production pottery. Their duties included mixing clay and glazes, “turning” and glazing pots, and loading kilns. It was during this two year internship that they developed an intense love for folk art. In 1987, Terry, Anna, and their daughter, Crystal, opened their first pottery on the site of the old Joe Owen Pottery, on Hwy. 705, south of Seagrove. Soon after, Anna was taken under the wing of master potter Charlie Owen, brother of Joe and Ben Owen. They have since built a studio closer to home and another studio, called “Southern Visions”, on Hwy. 705, “The Potter’s Highway”.Although the Kings use their creativity to produce functional, every day, pottery, their true talents emerge when they direct their hands, minds, and hearts toward sculptural, folk pottery. These pieces include handbuilt lions, rams, chickens, and Noah’s arks, as well as wheel thrown and altered jugs, face jugs, and grape cluster pitchers. It is while creating these highly collectable, one of a kind pieces, that Terry, Anna, and Crystal are happiest; and their abilities and contentment is evident in each and every piece! If you would like more information about our shop, or our work please e-mail us at [email protected].
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Jane Peiser
It's another year here in the North Carolina mountains, a good time for a fire in the fireplace. Gazing at the fire, I'm looking back on 81 years of life on this amazing earth, 48 years in which it has been my great privilege to earn a living making pottery.
I love it when people sing together, laugh together, show me the pictures in their wallets... I feel a yearning for the wonderful side of human nature that I cannot explain, but when it appears in an occasional piece that I have made, it's a good, good, day in the studio.
-Jane Peiser
http://www.janepeiserpottery.com/
It's another year here in the North Carolina mountains, a good time for a fire in the fireplace. Gazing at the fire, I'm looking back on 81 years of life on this amazing earth, 48 years in which it has been my great privilege to earn a living making pottery.
I love it when people sing together, laugh together, show me the pictures in their wallets... I feel a yearning for the wonderful side of human nature that I cannot explain, but when it appears in an occasional piece that I have made, it's a good, good, day in the studio.
-Jane Peiser
http://www.janepeiserpottery.com/
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Mark Gordan
Upon entering the Museum’s main gallery from the courtyard, one is immediately confronted by an undulating circle of volcanic rock approximately 18 feet in circumference, that almost completely fills the floor space, forcing the viewer to the edges of the room. The piece, “Ovoid/Stratum” by ceramic artist Mark Gordon, culminates at its center in a mound of dark- and light-gray ceramic eggs--365, to be exact, one for each day of the year. My first thoughts upon seeing this striking installation were of the British artist Richard Long, known throughout the art world for his lengthy walks in remote areas, during which he assembles stones, pieces of wood, or whatever natural materials are handy, into circles, triangles, or straight lines, then photographs them and continues on his way. Further reflection, however, along with help from the artist’s statement, made clear the elegaic tone of “Ovoid/Stratum,” which I believe is more about our inner world rather than the natural one that surrounds us.
--Michael Schwager, ArtMuse, newsletter of the California Museum of Art at the Luther Burbank Center, Santa Rosa , CA, summer 1997http://www.markgordon.com
Upon entering the Museum’s main gallery from the courtyard, one is immediately confronted by an undulating circle of volcanic rock approximately 18 feet in circumference, that almost completely fills the floor space, forcing the viewer to the edges of the room. The piece, “Ovoid/Stratum” by ceramic artist Mark Gordon, culminates at its center in a mound of dark- and light-gray ceramic eggs--365, to be exact, one for each day of the year. My first thoughts upon seeing this striking installation were of the British artist Richard Long, known throughout the art world for his lengthy walks in remote areas, during which he assembles stones, pieces of wood, or whatever natural materials are handy, into circles, triangles, or straight lines, then photographs them and continues on his way. Further reflection, however, along with help from the artist’s statement, made clear the elegaic tone of “Ovoid/Stratum,” which I believe is more about our inner world rather than the natural one that surrounds us.
--Michael Schwager, ArtMuse, newsletter of the California Museum of Art at the Luther Burbank Center, Santa Rosa , CA, summer 1997http://www.markgordon.com
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Luck's Ware continues the ancient art of wheel-thrown pottery near Seagrove, the "Pottery Capitol" of North Carolina. Visitors can experience the entire process from the mixing of the clay to the finished ware. Sid Luck, a fifth generation potter, and sons, Jason and Matt, continue the Luck pottery tradition.
This pottery tradition is observed in the shape of many old time functional stoneware pieces such as candle holders, churns, jugs, pitchers, and teapots. Sid digs local clay to use in some of his pottery. One of the wheels he still uses for turning was originally in his father's shop.
A wood-fired groundhog kiln is used to produce salt-glazed pottery similar to that produced many years ago by Luck ancestors.
http://www.lucksware.com
This pottery tradition is observed in the shape of many old time functional stoneware pieces such as candle holders, churns, jugs, pitchers, and teapots. Sid digs local clay to use in some of his pottery. One of the wheels he still uses for turning was originally in his father's shop.
A wood-fired groundhog kiln is used to produce salt-glazed pottery similar to that produced many years ago by Luck ancestors.
http://www.lucksware.com
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Tom Gray
Maker of handmade stoneware -- pottery for the arts, acts and rituals of food preparation, serving and supping, as well as decorative pieces and shaving kits for discerning gentlemen. Its all handmade right here in Seagrove, North Carolina, the pottery capital of the United States.
http://tomgraypottery.com/
Maker of handmade stoneware -- pottery for the arts, acts and rituals of food preparation, serving and supping, as well as decorative pieces and shaving kits for discerning gentlemen. Its all handmade right here in Seagrove, North Carolina, the pottery capital of the United States.
http://tomgraypottery.com/
![Picture](/uploads/2/7/1/5/27159917/5378588.png)
BEN CARTER
Clay is manipulated into shapes that have convex bulges that reference pillows and tufted furniture. This overfilled aesthetic is a visual metaphor for the comfort of southern hospitality. The white picket fence, the quintessential symbol of Americana, creates a cultural context for the work. The accompanying floral patterns establish an aesthetic that relates to the casual nature of folk art. Verdant blooming flowers are captured in decorative form bringing nature into the home and reconnecting people to the beauty of their physical landscape.
My work evokes community, embodying personal times that are a counterpoint to our work-centered society. Surface decoration is used to create nostalgia for a time when communal meals were the core of communication. Well-made functional pottery calls us back to the table where the heart of our family beats.www.carterpottery.com
Clay is manipulated into shapes that have convex bulges that reference pillows and tufted furniture. This overfilled aesthetic is a visual metaphor for the comfort of southern hospitality. The white picket fence, the quintessential symbol of Americana, creates a cultural context for the work. The accompanying floral patterns establish an aesthetic that relates to the casual nature of folk art. Verdant blooming flowers are captured in decorative form bringing nature into the home and reconnecting people to the beauty of their physical landscape.
My work evokes community, embodying personal times that are a counterpoint to our work-centered society. Surface decoration is used to create nostalgia for a time when communal meals were the core of communication. Well-made functional pottery calls us back to the table where the heart of our family beats.www.carterpottery.com
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Rebecca Plummer and Jon Ellenbogen
Our pottery is made from our own specially formulated stoneware clay. All the ingredients are naturally occurring minerals mined in the eastern United States. Our glazes are made exclusively by us, having been developed after many years' research. Naturally no toxic materials are used in our clay or glazes. Our pottery is fired to nearly 2400 degrees F, a temperature well above the melting point of many metals. Consequently you will find each piece is extremely durable. Nearly everything we make is suitable for oven or microwave use and is dishwasher safe. Our pottery requires no special care but should never be subjected to direct stove-top heat or sudden extreme temperature changes. We will replace any piece that fails within one year due to thermal shock. We hope our pottery gives you many years of pleasure.http://www.barkingspiderpottery.com
Our pottery is made from our own specially formulated stoneware clay. All the ingredients are naturally occurring minerals mined in the eastern United States. Our glazes are made exclusively by us, having been developed after many years' research. Naturally no toxic materials are used in our clay or glazes. Our pottery is fired to nearly 2400 degrees F, a temperature well above the melting point of many metals. Consequently you will find each piece is extremely durable. Nearly everything we make is suitable for oven or microwave use and is dishwasher safe. Our pottery requires no special care but should never be subjected to direct stove-top heat or sudden extreme temperature changes. We will replace any piece that fails within one year due to thermal shock. We hope our pottery gives you many years of pleasure.http://www.barkingspiderpottery.com
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Terry Gess
I once met a woman who looked like her cat. It was a subtle thing, but there was an unmistakable bond between pet and owner, some collaborative demeanor or design sense. Potters and their pots are really no different... Over the years of steadily making, marking and firing pots, something distinctively myself has slipped into the process. It's a sensibility as intangible and basic to me as the way in which I hold the salt shaker when I tilt it to pour, how I turn the pages of a book or how I kick my potter's wheel.
http://www.terrygesspottery.com/
I once met a woman who looked like her cat. It was a subtle thing, but there was an unmistakable bond between pet and owner, some collaborative demeanor or design sense. Potters and their pots are really no different... Over the years of steadily making, marking and firing pots, something distinctively myself has slipped into the process. It's a sensibility as intangible and basic to me as the way in which I hold the salt shaker when I tilt it to pour, how I turn the pages of a book or how I kick my potter's wheel.
http://www.terrygesspottery.com/
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As Artists, art is food. It feeds the necessity for connection with life. All good art carries the mysteries of the expression of life force...our common connection. We think this is why we need it. It reminds us of what we are made of.
Rock Creek Pottery is Closed
We are not making pots these days, concentrating on establishing a new life and place in New Mexico. Hopefully some sunny day we will have sorted out a place to work, a kiln and clay. So far, is has not been all that easy to find a wild and private place close to Santa Fe! Wish us Luck! Thank you for your continued interest! We will let you know
For us, pots are a vehicle for interaction. Interaction between hands and mind, clay and fire, maker and user, food and dishes, sight and touch. Pots begin with the potter from within the long tradition of making things with clay. They are finished by the choices and enjoyment of the user. Interaction is the key to living, and we hope our pots enhance this process.
Douglass Rankin and Will Ruggles
http://www.rockcreekpottery.com/
Rock Creek Pottery is Closed
We are not making pots these days, concentrating on establishing a new life and place in New Mexico. Hopefully some sunny day we will have sorted out a place to work, a kiln and clay. So far, is has not been all that easy to find a wild and private place close to Santa Fe! Wish us Luck! Thank you for your continued interest! We will let you know
For us, pots are a vehicle for interaction. Interaction between hands and mind, clay and fire, maker and user, food and dishes, sight and touch. Pots begin with the potter from within the long tradition of making things with clay. They are finished by the choices and enjoyment of the user. Interaction is the key to living, and we hope our pots enhance this process.
Douglass Rankin and Will Ruggles
http://www.rockcreekpottery.com/
![Picture](/uploads/2/7/1/5/27159917/3860060.jpg)
An East Carolina alum, Andrew was awarded the distinguished ceramist award.
He holds two degrees -
a BFA in Art Education (concentration in ceramics),
and a BFA in Painting.
He has taught many workshops and held many demonstrations at various prestigious locations: The Arrowmont Craft School,
The City of Columbia Clay Arts Studio, Midlands Clay Arts Society and Mint Museum of Charlotte. He has assisted renowned artists such as
Ron Meyers, Cynthia Bringle,
and Linda Arbuckle. http://www.potterycentral.com
He holds two degrees -
a BFA in Art Education (concentration in ceramics),
and a BFA in Painting.
He has taught many workshops and held many demonstrations at various prestigious locations: The Arrowmont Craft School,
The City of Columbia Clay Arts Studio, Midlands Clay Arts Society and Mint Museum of Charlotte. He has assisted renowned artists such as
Ron Meyers, Cynthia Bringle,
and Linda Arbuckle. http://www.potterycentral.com
![Picture](/uploads/2/7/1/5/27159917/6750605.jpg)
A few favorites from the firing
Yesterday we unloaded the anagama. These are a few of my favorites from the firing. Great firing! Now its time to sand and prep for next weekends show, the Joara pottery festival. I have already started working on the next firing so I am on a roll baby!
http://shanemickeypotterslife.blogspot.com
http://www.pottersoftheroan.com
Yesterday we unloaded the anagama. These are a few of my favorites from the firing. Great firing! Now its time to sand and prep for next weekends show, the Joara pottery festival. I have already started working on the next firing so I am on a roll baby!
http://shanemickeypotterslife.blogspot.com
http://www.pottersoftheroan.com