Master Potter, Mark Hewitt, celebrates 25 years in business

Master Potter, Mark Hewitt, celebrates 25 years in business and the 75th firing of his wood-burning salt kiln

Mark Hewitt, of Pittsboro, NC, marks a landmark achievement at the */16^th Annual Chatham Studio Tour /*the first two weekends of December. Chatham Artists Guild President Forrest Greenslade says, “Mark was one of founding artists in the tour, and remains a creative leader that all of our members respect and admire.”

In 1983 Mark Hewitt (www.hewittpottery.com) and his wife, Carol, found the setting of their dreams – a ramshackled farm house with enough out-buildings for a workshop, kiln and sales barn. More importantly it
was located in Pittsboro, NC, close enough to the clay deposits Mark needed to make wonderful pots, a good source of wood to fire his soon-to-be built wood-burning kiln, and plenty of potential customers within a few miles.

This month Hewitt will fire that same school bus-sized kiln for the 75th time, filled with over 1500 pots made by himself and three apprentices, Joseph Sand, Alex Matisse, and Eryn Prospero. “North Carolinians have a special affinity for pottery made in the same tradition as that of their parents and grandparents”, Hewitt reflected as he carried a board of swirl mugs into the partially packed kiln recently. “We have beautiful clays here and plenty of yellow pine to fire the kiln. I mix ashes from my wood stove and ground up glass for my glazes, and fire the kiln for several days to a temperature of 2300 degrees. Unloading the kiln is more exciting than Christmas morning.” And his customers seem to agree. Three times a year he opens a kiln load and they eagerly trek to his pottery a few miles east of Pittsboro to see and buy his wares. Hewitt has written extensively in the ceramic press and exhibited in London, New York, and Tokyo, as well as throughout the US, and is well-represented in museum and private collections.

From the enjoyment of its daily use, or as a pottery collector’s investment, Hewitt’s finely-made pottery has an intrinsic value and appeal. For this 75th firing, in addition to the swirl mugs, Hewitt has made several massive vases and planters, pitchers and jars of all sizes, plates and bowls, and even a tall wig-stand! Pots from this firing will be on display at the pottery during the first two weekends in December.

The festivities will include hot cider, cookies and other delectable treats from the Hewitt kitchen. The Kiln Opening starts with a preview Friday evening, December 5th from 4-7pm. Refreshments yes, but there are
no sales or reservations made until the next day, Saturday December 6th between 9am and 5pm. New pots are put out on the shelves for Sunday, when the sale resumes at noon. For those that can’t make the first
weekend, the pottery shelves are replenished for a second weekend, December 13th, 9am-5pm and December 14th, noon-5pm. All the pots are stamped with a 75 to commemorate the 75th anniversary firing, along with each maker’s mark. They range in size from a 54″ tall fluted vase, to several hundred lovely 5″ bud vases, tumblers, and mugs priced under $10.

Twenty-five years later, Hewitt and his wife, Carol, (who teaches and coaches other artists in the business skills needed to be a successful artist) are still delighted to have found Pittsboro, and the run-down old Johnny Burke farm. She says, “For twenty-five years, we have lived and worked as a team. Mark makes beautiful pots, I handle the bookkeeping and many of the marketing details, and we share in the important business plans and decisions. It’s a good life. I couldn’t ask for more.” In these uncertain times, that’s a lot.

Customers are also welcome to visit the pottery between kiln openings by appointment. Visits can be scheduled by calling 919-542-2371 or emailing Directions and
more at www.hewittpottery.com .

Mark joins more than 50 artists on the */16^th Annual Chatham Studio Tour/*, who will display their work in their own studios scattered throughout scenic Chatham. Visitors to */The Tour/* are guided by a Tour Map and Brochure available at restaurants and shops through the Triangle area, and on the Guild’s website at: http://www.chathamartistsguild.org.

Specifically, brochures will be available at:
-Hewitt Pottery;
– North Carolina Museum of Art in the Raleigh Visitor Information Station located behind the Information Desk;
-Durham Arts in Durham;
-Aria Spa at Chatham Crossing in Chapel Hill;
-The Arts Center in Carrboro;
-The General Store Café in Pittsboro,
-Alamance County Arts Council in Graham.

Tour visitors will enjoy discussing art, the artists’ personal stories, and the process of creating unique art in the artists’ own environments.

—
Forrest C. Greenslade. PhD, DTM
Artist, Writer, Speaker
919-545-9743
http://www.forrestgreenslade.com
http://chathamartists.blogspot.com/