Rodney Leftwich

1946 Born St. Louis, Missouri

APPRENTICESHIPS AND RESIDENCIES

1977-1978 worked with Burlon Craig, Vale, North Carolina

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1978-1992 Leftwich Pottery, Asheville, North Carolina

1990’s Pisgah Pottery with Thomas Case, Walter Stephen’s step-grandson

1992—Leftwich Folk and Art Pottery, Mills River, NC

BIOGRAPHY 

Rodney Leftwich is known for reviving forms and techniques of traditional western North Carolina pottery. Leftwich produces a range of forms including traditional utilitarian pieces, face jugs, and sculptures. His works are often intricately incised with Appalachian scenes. The incising led to carving and then to cutouts or reticulated designs on the decorative vase and lantern forms.

Leftwich’s glazes are prepared from wood ash, clay slips, crushed glass, and iron rock as done locally in the 1800s. Leftwich’s interest in traditions of western North Carolina potters began in the 1970s when he collected examples, studied their forms, glazes, methods of manufacture, and makers. 

While working with Thomas Case at Pisgah Forest Pottery Leftwich helped revive the crystalline glazes and cameo techniques of Walter Stephen who had founded Pisgah Forest Pottery in 1926.