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, The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum in Biloxi, MS, The Bascom in Highlands, NC 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.
Artist Statement
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.
