Artist: Mark Hewitt

Mark Hewitt, NORTH CAROLINA
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Although the eminent folklorist, Henry Glassie, describes Mark as, "A great American master", Mark was actually both in Stoke-on-Trent, England, and is the son and grandson of directors of Spode, the fine china manufacturers.

As a student as 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 theirpottery. Mark built a very large wood-burning kiln and began making the distinctive functional pots for which he is known, specializing in very large planters, vases, 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 Craft magazine, he has written extensively in the ceramic press, and he has exhibited in London, New York, and Tokyo, aswel as throughout the US. He is well represented in museum and private collections.

Mark and Nancy Sweezy co-curated the highly-regarded exhibition, "The Potter's Eye: Art and Tradition in North Carolina Pottery", at the North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, NC, October 30, 2005-March 19, 2006. UNC Press published a superbly illustrated catalogue book.

Mark and his work were featured extensively in the nationwide PBS TV series "Craft in America", and h recently had two major exhibitions of his big pots, one at the Nasher Museum at Duke University in Durham, NC, the other at the Ogden Museum in New Orleans.

BACKGROUND
Born in Stoke-on-Trent, England; father and grandfather were Directors of Spode.
1976-1979
Apprenticed to Michael Cardew at Wenford Bridge Pottery, Bodmin, England.
1979-1983
Apprenticed to Todd Piker at Cornwall Bridge Pottery, Cornwall Bridge, CT
1978-79, 1982
Independent study of traditional potteries in West Africa, Taiwan , Korea and Japan.

BACKGROUND
Born in Stoke-on-Trent, England; father and grandfather were Directors of Spode
1976-1979
Apprenticed to Michael Cardew at Wenford Bridge Pottery, Bodmin, England
1979-1983
Apprenticed to Todd Piker at Cornwall Bridge Pottery, Cornwall Bridge, CT, USA
1978-1979, 1982
Independent study of traditional potteries in West Africa, Taiwan, Korea and Japan

EDUCATION
1976
B.A. in Geography, University of Bristol, England.

PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
High Museum, Atlanta, GA
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
National Arboretum, Washington, DC
Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, MN
Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, VA
Mint Museums, Charlotte, NC
Ackland Museum, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, NC
North Carolina Pottery Center, Seagrove, NC
American Museum of Ceramic Art, Pomona, CA
Spencer Museum, Kansas City, KS
Rocky Mount Arts Center, Seagrove, NC

RECENT SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2011
Ogden Museum, New Orleans, LO, "Big-Hearted Pots" essay by Christopher Benfey
2010
Nasher Museum, Duke University, Durham, NC "Falling Into Place" essays by Tanya Harrod
2007
Signature Shop, Atlanta, GA
2004
Ferrin Gallery, Lennox, MA
2003
Signature Shop, Atlanta, GA
2002
Gallery Yufuku, Tokyo, Japan
Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, NC (inaugural show in the Sculpture Court)
2001
Galleri Dai Ichi Arts, 24 West 57th Street, New York, NY
2000
Harlequin Gallery, London, England

SELECT GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2009
"A Unique Likeness", Rocky Mount Arts Center, NC
2008
AKAR Gallery, Iowa City, IA
2007
Ferrin Gallery, NCECA, Louisville, KY
2006
Governor's Executive Mansion, NC Craft Exhibition, Raleigh, NC
2003
21st Century Ceramics in the US and Canada, Columbus, OH
2004
Ferrin Gallery, SOFA Chicago, IL

EXHIBITIONS AS CURATOR
2005-2006
"The Potter's Eye: Art and Tradition in North Carolina Pottery", at the North Carolina Museum of Arts, Raleigh, NC. Co-Curator with Nancy Sweezy. Book accompanying the exhibition written by Mark Hewitt and Nancy Sweezy, published by UNC Press

MAJOR DEMONSTRATIONS
2011
International Ceramics Festival, Aberystwyth, Wales
2007
Canadian Clay Symposium, Vancouver, BC, Cananda
2005
Functional Ceramics Workshop, Wooster, OH
2003
10th National Australian Ceramics Conference, Bendigo (also Keynote Speaker)
2000
NCECA, Columbus, OH, USA

PUBLICATIONS
January 2011
Ogden Museum, New Orleans, "Big-Hearted Pots", essays by Christopher Benfey and Mark Hewitt
February 2010
Nasher Museum, Duke University, "Falling Into Place", essays by Tanya Harrod and Henry Glassie
July 2009
Clay Times, "Conversations: Mark Hewitt", by Joe Campbell
May 2009
Ceramics Monthly, "Working Potter", by Mark Hewitt
Fall 2008
Ceramics: Art and Perception, Book Review of "Searching for Beauty", by Richard Jacobs
October 2007
Goldmark Gallery, Svend Bayer exhibition catalogue, "I want to Lie Down and Sleep in its Shadow", by Mark Hewitt
June 2007
Ceramics Monthly, "Functional Pride", by Mark Hewitt
October 2005
UNC Press, "The Potter's Eye: Art and Tradition in North Carolina Pottery", Mark Hewitt and Nancy Sweezy
December 2004
Clay Times, cover article, “Mammoth Pots,” by Wendy Summers
American Craft, cover article, “Village Potter”, by Ed Lebow
October 2004
“The Poetry in North Carolina Pottery,” in “North Carolina Pottery: The Collection of the Mint Museums,” UNC Press
December 2002
Studio Potter: “Mark Hewitt – Outside,” by Henry Glassie
Ceramics: Art and Perception #50: “Marking Time,” by Robert Yellin
May 8, 2002
Japan Times: “Heart and Soul in Your Hands,” Robert Yellin
April 2002
Ceramics Monthly: “The Iced Tea Ceremony,” Mark Hewitt
July 3, 2001
Wall Street Journal: “The Magic of a Very Hot Fire,” Jim Morrison
June 2001
Ceramics: Art and Perception #44, “Just Another Mug,” Mark Hewitt
October 2000
Studio Potter: “Tradition is the Future,” Mark Hewitt
October 1998
Smithsonian Magazine, “Fired with Finesse,” Jim Morrison
September 1997
Ceramics: Art and Perception #29, “A Pot in the Hand,” Mark Hewitt
May 1997
Ceramics: Art and Perception #28, “Jeff Shapiro’s Gestures of Creativity,” Mark Hewitt
January 1996
Studio Potter, “Conversations,” with Janet Mansfield and Emily Galusha
September 1993 Ceramics: Art and Perception #12 “Carrying on a Tradition,” Charles G. Zug III
April 1991
Ceramics Monthly, cover article, “The Making of a Potter,” Mark Hewitt

TELEVISION
October 2009
PBS TV nationwide, "Craft in America", Origins episode

TEACHING
Spring 2009
Adjunct Professor, UNC Chapel Hill, with Prof. Townsend Ludington, "Reading American Culture through Pottery, Painting, and Prose"

BOARD
2008 ownwards
Vice President, North Carolina Pottery Center, Seagrove, NC