Five of North Carolina’s most premier potters are coming together at FRANK Gallery to bridge both old and traditional approaches with new and innovative ideas.
Starting today, legendary British potter Mark Hewitt and several of his former apprentices will be collectively showing their pottery for the first time in the exhibit “A New Tradition.”
“There’s a strong sense, a similar aesthetic if you will, with common themes where everyone has room to create,” Hewitt said. “All of us are doing interesting work, and it’s very rare for this kind of group identity to be present in the modern world.”
Since 1983, Hewitt has been crafting a unique style of pottery which mixes both classical European crafting techniques with many of the folk pottery traditions of North Carolina. He has trained a number of successful artists in this new style, from Daniel Johnston, a well-known potter in Seagrove, to Alex Matisse, the great-grandson of famous European painter Henri Matisse — both of whom have pottery featured in the coming exhibit.
Johnston’s personal focus on pottery is in its form and how the structure of what he crafts relates the art to those observing it.
Johnston apprenticed under Hewitt for four years, starting when he was 19. There he developed his own artistic voice and style, and became “the poster child” for the apprentice system, Hewitt said.
“He bought 10 acres of land as a 16-year-old, and he put a little shack up on it where he lived while he worked with me,” Hewitt said. “Daniel is extremely hard working and has a whole bunch of additional skill sets to complement his pottery.”
The other three artists featured in the exhibit — Joseph Sand, Matt Jones and Matisse — are all similar products of the apprenticeship system.
Matisse, who apprenticed under Hewitt for one year, is represented with a variety of pots and ceramics in the showcase. He said his work was an endeavor unto itself, and not about carrying on the artistic traditions of his great-grandfather, Henri Matisse.
