Professional potters first began settling in Seagrove more than 200 years ago. Approximately 100 pottery studios now dot the area’s landscape, which encompasses parts of Randolph, Moore and Montgomery counties.
One of these studios belongs to Daniel Johnston, a potter who is as passionate about Seagrove as he is about his art.

Growing up in Randolph County, Johnston knew from an early age that Seagrove was the place for him. He bought 10 acres of Seagrove land at age 16 and apprenticed for 10 years with Thai and English potters before opening his own studio.

“I was interested in art and farming, and pottery was a nice combination of the physical work of farming and the intellectual pursuit of art,” Johnston says.

He specializes in large stoneware jars, some over four feet tall, and works exclusively with local clay, rock and wood ash.

“The local materials are so good to use. That’s made a huge impact on my work and enabled me to make my pots unique to this area,” Johnston says.

Johnston also draws inspiration from the Seagrove community itself.

“The evolution of my work is quickened because of being in an environment with such great potters – we’re all pushing each other to do better and better work,” he says.

That artistic richness also makes Seagrove a special place to visit.

“People can just wander down country roads and surprise themselves,” Johnston says. “You can’t go wrong by getting lost here because there’s a potter on every road. It’s one of the few places in the world where that’s true.”

Johnston opens his studio to visitors three times a year, in spring, summer and fall. He plans to spend summer 2010 making 100 consecutive jars, all of which will be for sale at the end of the season. The endeavor will require 10,000 pounds of clay and 32 cords of wood to fuel Johnston’s 900-cubic-foot kiln.

Seagrove’s large and diverse community of potters includes Ben Owen III and Benjamin Burns. Owen is a third-generation Seagrove potter known for his Asian-influenced decorative pieces.

Burns, who came to Seagrove in 1997, owns The Great White Oak Gallery and is known for his brightly colored glazes.

Whether visitors come to see these potters or one of the many others in Seagrove, Johnston promises the experience will be unforgettable.

“The community has maintained the local culture and hospitality alongside a diverse group of artists,” he says. “That’s a really powerful thing for people to experience.”