Eck McCanless Demo

Come see how Agate pottery is created by the master: Eck McCanless! Join us for an intimate look into his process. Space is limited to offer time for questions. 

Artist Bio: Eck McCanless honed his skills at his family’s shop, Dover Pottery, before venturing out on
his own in 2011. He has been a full-time professional potter since 1993 and has been
focused solely on Agateware since 2011.
Eck’s Agateware is made by turning different colors of clay on the wheel at the same time.
He then carves most of his pieces, revealing the cross section inside the walls of the pot.
This type of patterning has been compared to many things, including wood grain, fudge
ripple ice cream and peacock feathers. Eck finds inspiration from watching the spiral form
on the wheel and the patterns that emerge when he carves into the walls of the pot. For him,
this process hints at the workings of the universe, from plate tectonics to fluid dynamics
and beyond.
Eck has been featured in several publications, including Charlotte Vestal Brown’s
“Remarkable Potters of Seagrove” and Dan Rhode’s “Introducing Pottery: The Complete
Guide.” He and his family are the subjects of Jim Sharkey’s film, “The Fourteenth Shop.” Eck
was on the cover of and featured in the Heart of North Carolina’s 2019 Visitor Guide. Most
recently, Eck has been featured in Southern Living Magazine and on PBS NC’s “NC
Weekend.” He has taught Agateware workshops at Northern Colorado Potters Guild in Fort
Collins, CO, Pottery Alley in Lafayette, LA and Ceramica in Cary, NC. He has also taught
turning workshops at the NC Pottery Center in Seagrove, NC and STARworks Ceramics in
Star, NC. In addition to pottery, Eck also writes, performs and produces his own music.

Words from the artist: I use different colors of clay to create Agateware pottery. Most of my pieces are turned on the wheel and carved to reveal patterns within the walls of the pots. Other pieces are manipulated in the turning process to create fluid designs.
I have been a professional potter since 1993. Although I’ve worked with many different pottery techniques, I found my passion in Agateware in 2011, and it has been my sole focus since. I create Agateware pottery by turning different colors of clay on the wheel. The movement of the clay on the wheel determines my finished product, and I have learned to manipulate this process over time. The fluidity of the process creates a unique signature, highlighting the individuality of each piece. While I am inspired by examples of historical pottery, I find my biggest inspiration comes from the work itself. Watching the spiral form on the wheel and then carving into the walls of the pot hints at the workings of the universe, from plate tectonics to fluid dynamics and beyond. I love to demonstrate this technique as it gives the viewer insight into the movements that create all pottery made on the potter's wheel. The different colors of clay create a visual display of how the clay compresses and twists as it's being turned. I enjoy pushing the limits of the clay and my own creativity to create unique, elegant and lightweight forms that are both decorative and functional.

Refund Policy: Here at Juliet Bravo Pottery, we run our classes based off registration. If you are unable to attend your chosen class, please inform Jason or Jessica Buddin via email (julietbravopottery@gmail.com) 4 business days prior to the session for a full refund. Requests made after this cut-off (4 business days prior to the session) will not receive a refund. We do not prorate or schedule make-up days for student absences. 

If Juliet Bravo Pottery cancels a class due to inclement weather or staff illness, we will contact students to schedule a makeup class or offer a refund.

Serving the Upstate -- Seneca, SC pottery classes in Oconee County