Mark Hewitt salt-glazed mug with signature blue glass inserts 4 1/2\" tall For Sale

Mark Hewitt(born 1955) is an English-bornstudio potterliving in the small town ofPittsboro, North Carolinaoutside ofChapel Hill, North Carolina. In 2015 he received aUnited States Artist Fellowship, for contributions to the creative landscape and arts ecosystems of the country. He was a finalist for the 2015Balvenie Rare Craft Fellowship Award, for contributions to the maintenance and revival of traditional or rare craft techniques. In 2014 he was awarded aVoulkos Fellowshipat theArchie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic ArtsinHelena, Montana, for outstanding contributions to the ceramic arts.

He is known for his functional pottery and especially for his large scalewood-fired,salt-glazedceramicpots, known as \"monster pots.\" His work is influenced byAsian pottery,African pottery,North Carolina pottery, and especially theEnglish potteryofBernard Leach. Hewitt was taught by Leach\'s first student,Michael Cardew.

Hewitt was born in England in 1955 not far from theSpodechina factory inStoke-on-Trent. His father and grandfather were both managers at Spode, so he grew up with that ceramics tradition. While atBristol Universityin 1975, however, Hewitt was attracted to the very different Englishstudio potterytradition 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 theWenford Bridge PotteryinCornwall.

Hewitt makes a complete line of functional ceramic pots, 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, withNancy Sweezy, of \"The Potter\'s Eye: Art and Tradition in North Carolina Pottery,\" at theNorth Carolina Museum of ArtinRaleigh, North Carolina(October 2005 – March 2006).[1]In 2017 he edited the book\"Great Pots from the Traditions of North & South Carolina\", published by theNorth Carolina Pottery CenterinSeagrove, North Carolina.[2]He was President of the Board of the North Carolina Pottery Center from 2013 - 2017.

This mug is a prime example of Mark\'s art. The blue glass pieces stuck into the sides are a signature decorative technique, which he uses in almost all of his pieces, from small to giant. The texture (\"orange peel\") can only be created by salt firing. He fires his work in a very large wood-fueled kiln, and during the firing process infuses salt into the firebox which vaporizes and travels throughout the kiln, coating the pieces stacked within. A very old traditional process, harking back to 17ty century England and early American folk potters. I acquired this piece directly from Mr. Hewitt at a workshop I attended in North Carolina three decades ago.