Mark Hewitt

1955 Born Stoke-on-Trent, England

EDUCATION

1976B. Soc. Sci. Geography, University of Bristol, England

1978-1979, 1982 Independent study of Traditional Potteries, West Africa, Taiwan, Korea and Japan

APPRENTICESHIPS AND RESIDENCIES

1976-1979 Apprenticed to Michael Cardew, Wenford Bridge Pottery, Bodmin, England

1979-1983 Apprenticed to Todd Piker, Cornwall Bridge Pottery, Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut

BIOGRAPHY

 Mark Hewitt uses local clay and traditional North Carolina pottery techniques including salt glaze, ash glaze and pressing glass into the thrown pieces before firing to create distinctive colors and patterns. In addition to vessel forms, Hewitt created a series of grave markers based on the traditional markers used in the Southeastern United States.

Hewitt is the third generation of his family to be involved with ceramics, his father and grandfather were directors of Spode Pottery Stoke-on-Trent, England.  Bernard Leach’s influential text, A Potter’s Book, sent him to the potter’s studio rather than the office. He spent three years as an apprentice in Michael Cardew's studio in England and continued his independent study traveling to potteries in West Africa, Taiwan, Korea and Japan finally settling in America. Hewitt apprenticed for three years with Todd Piker at his Cornwall Bridge Pottery, Connecticut.

In 1983 Hewitt established a pottery in North Carolina. He built a 900 cubic foot wood kiln to fire oversized jars and planters and a wide range of functional domestic wares. The kiln is fired with approximately 2000 pots three times a year.