Mark Hewitt
Encyclopedia
Mark Hewitt is an English
studio potter
living in the small town of Pittsboro, North Carolina
outside of Chapel Hill, North Carolina
, known for his functional pottery and especially for his large scale wood-fired, salt-glazed ceramic
pots, known as "monster pots." His work is influenced by Asian pottery, African pottery, North Carolina pottery, and especially the English pottery of Bernard Leach
. Hewitt was taught by Leach's first student, Michael Cardew
.
Hewitt was born in England in 1955 not far from the Spode
china factory in Stoke-on-Trent
. His father and grandfather were both managers at Spode, so he grew up with that ceramics tradition. While at Bristol University in 1975, however, Hewitt was attracted to the very different English studio pottery
tradition when a friend loaned him a copy of Leach's seminal work, "A Potter's Book. Thereafter, he sought out opportunities to learn studio pottery, becoming Cardew's apprentice at the Wenford Bridge Pottery in Cornwall
.
Hewitt's decision ultimately to settle in North Carolina has influenced his work profoundly, as have his travels to Africa
and Southeast Asia
. The North Carolina
influence can be seen, for instance, in his use of alkaline glazes, runs of glass, and use of contrasting colors of clay
. At the same time, his English roots may be seen in his close control of the potter's wheel
, his crisp lines, and in the North Devon-style handles of many of his pots.
Hewitt makes a complete line of functional ceramics, and much of his work is intended for everyday use. He also makes large-scale vessels of a more sculptural vein, such as his grave markers. His work can be found in the permanent collection of several American museums. He was also the co-curator, with Nancy Sweezy, of "The Potter's Eye: Art and Tradition in North Carolina Pottery," at the North Carolina Museum of Art
in Raleigh, North Carolina
(October 2005-March 2006).
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
studio potter
Studio potter
A studio potter is one who is a modern artist, who either works alone or in a small group, producing unique items of pottery in small quantities, typically with all stages of manufacture carried out by themselves. Studio pottery includes functional wares such as tableware or cookware, and...
living in the small town of Pittsboro, North Carolina
Pittsboro, North Carolina
Pittsboro, North Carolina is a town located in Chatham County, 34 miles southwest of Raleigh, 47 miles southeast of Greensboro, and 17 miles south of Chapel Hill. The population was 3,743 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chatham County....
outside of Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
, known for his functional pottery and especially for his large scale wood-fired, salt-glazed ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
pots, known as "monster pots." His work is influenced by Asian pottery, African pottery, North Carolina pottery, and especially the English pottery of Bernard Leach
Bernard Leach
Bernard Howell Leach, CBE, CH , was a British studio potter and art teacher. He is regarded as the "Father of British studio pottery"-Biography:...
. Hewitt was taught by Leach's first student, Michael Cardew
Michael Cardew
Michael Cardew, OBE, was an English studio potter who worked in West Africa for twenty years.Cardew was the fourth child of Arthur Cardew, a civil servant, and Alexandra Kitchin, the eldest daughter of G.W.Kitchin, the first Chancellor of Durham University...
.
Hewitt was born in England in 1955 not far from the Spode
Spode
Spode is a well-known English brand of pottery and homewares based in Stoke-on-Trent.- The overview :Spode is a Stoke-on-Trent based pottery company that was founded by Josiah Spode in 1770...
china factory in Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
. His father and grandfather were both managers at Spode, so he grew up with that ceramics tradition. While at Bristol University in 1975, however, Hewitt was attracted to the very different English studio pottery
Studio pottery
Studio pottery is made by modern artists working alone or in small groups, producing unique items of pottery in small quantities, typically with all stages of manufacture carried out by one individual. Much studio pottery is tableware or cookware but an increasing number of studio potters produce...
tradition when a friend loaned him a copy of Leach's seminal work, "A Potter's Book. Thereafter, he sought out opportunities to learn studio pottery, becoming Cardew's apprentice at the Wenford Bridge Pottery in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
Hewitt's decision ultimately to settle in North Carolina has influenced his work profoundly, as have his travels to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. The North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
influence can be seen, for instance, in his use of alkaline glazes, runs of glass, and use of contrasting colors of clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
. At the same time, his English roots may be seen in his close control of the potter's wheel
Potter's wheel
In pottery, a potter's wheel is a machine used in asma of round ceramic ware. The wheel may also be used during process of trimming the excess body from dried ware and for applying incised decoration or rings of color...
, his crisp lines, and in the North Devon-style handles of many of his pots.
Hewitt makes a complete line of functional ceramics, and much of his work is intended for everyday use. He also makes large-scale vessels of a more sculptural vein, such as his grave markers. His work can be found in the permanent collection of several American museums. He was also the co-curator, with Nancy Sweezy, of "The Potter's Eye: Art and Tradition in North Carolina Pottery," at the North Carolina Museum of Art
North Carolina Museum of Art
The North Carolina Museum of Art is an art museum in Raleigh, North Carolina, featuring paintings and sculpture representing 5,000 years of artistic work from antiquity to the present. The museum features more than 40 galleries as well as more than a dozen works of art in its Museum Park...
in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
(October 2005-March 2006).
Permanent Collections
- Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 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
- Minneapolis Institute of Art, MN
Sources
- Edward LeBow, "Mark Hewitt: Village Potter," 64 American Craft No. 6 (December 2004-January 2005) (cover article).
- Wendy Summers, "Making Monster Pots with Mark Hewitt," Clay Times (November-December 2004) (cover article)