Stuart Howe is a full-time studio potter who strives to make beautiful, handmade pots for everyday use by everyday people. Stuart works with multiple clay bodies and uses a variety of underglazes and slips to decorate his work.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The joyful chorus of color in my peak-summer garden begins with seeds sown in dreary winter months. So too is ceramic art born from extended periods of tender nurturing. My work employs two distinct yet complementary palettes featuring vibrant floral motifs atop multiple clays. Backdrops of porcelain and stoneware accentuate bold arrangements that exemplify unrestrained joy. I have long loved the dual purpose of functional ceramics - both utilitarian and celebratory - bringing richness and depth to everyday moments. These expressions of elation represent my quest to find and embody light in life’s darker moments. To make pottery, and to plant a garden, is to hope.
BIOGRAPHY
Stuart was first exposed to pottery at Gwynn Valley Camp where he tried throwing during his downtime. Stuart was searching for a creative outlet and after one session on the wheel, he was hooked! Although he started that summer as a lifeguard, he finished 9 weeks later working full time in the pottery program. Stuart went on to take all levels of ceramics courses offered at UNC Asheville. Although he continued in his original course of study (political science), Stuart knew he only ever wanted to make pots.
When traveling in New Zealand in 2010-2011, Stuart connected with the Waiohiki Creative Arts Village where he built on his wood firing experience from UNCA. Upon returning to the US, Stuart continued his efforts with Hinckley Pottery in Washington, DC from 2011-2012. In October of 2012, Stuart made the move to Brevard, and where he began working with Mud Dabbers Pottery of Brevard. Mud Dabbers served as a steady source of community, mentorship, and sales from 2012 - 2017.
In October of 2017, Stuart opened the doors at Brevard Clay. Located in downtown Brevard, this unique space presents a combination of professional art production and gallery combined with an interactive and instructive arts experience all under one roof. Stuart and his wife, Maggie, pictured below, worked as a team to run Brevard Clay. They sold the business in January 2021 ahead of a move to Charlottesville, VA.
Stuart is currently making pottery under the roof of Morehouse Studio, where he rents private space as part of a larger community studio in Charlottesville, VA. Stuart is also an Associate Member of the McGuffey Art Center, a well established community of working studios and gallery space.