The Potter's Eye

Classic North Carolina stoneware pots--with their rich textures, monochromatic glazes, and minimal decoration--belong to one of America's most revered stoneware pottery traditions. In a lavishly illustrated celebration of that tradition, Mark Hewitt and Nancy Sweezy trace the history of North Carolina pottery from the nineteenth century to the present day. They demonstrate the intriguing historic and aesthetic relationships that link pots produced in North Carolina to pottery traditions in Europe and Asia, in New England, and in the neighboring state of South Carolina.

With hundreds of color photographs highlighting the shapes and surfaces of carefully selected pots, The Potter's Eye honors the keen focus vernacular potters bring to their materials, tools, techniques, and history. It is an evocative guide for anyone interested in the art of North Carolina pottery and the aesthetic majesty of this resilient and long-standing tradition.

The Potter's Eye: Art and Tradition in North Carolina Pottery is the companion publication to an exhibition of the same name running from October 30, 2005, through March 19, 2006, at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Tracing the history of art and tradition of North Carolina pottery from the 19th century to present day, the authors demonstrate intriguing historic and aesthetic relationships that link pots produced in North Carolina to traditions in Europe and Asia, in New England, and in South Carolina. Full color.
Mark Hewitt, a British potter who lives and works in Pittsboro, North Carolina, is the author of numerous articles about potters and pottery. His own work has been featured in Smithsonian Magazine, Ceramics Monthly, American Craft, and other publications.
Nancy Sweezy, potter and former director of Jugtown Pottery in Seagrove, North Carolina, is the author of Raised in Clay: The Southern Pottery Tradition.
"More than an exhibition catalog; it is a collaborative work of art."
-- "Western Folklore"
"This exciting work succeeds in its mission to 'signal and celebrate the artistry of North Carolina's greatest production potters, ' but this work has accomplished much more--it has challenged and tutored scholars and collectors to view the stoneware of North Carolina with a "potter's eye"."
-- "Journal of Folklore Research"
aMore than an exhibition catalog; it is a collaborative work of art."
-- "Western Folklore"