yunomi: han tsutsu gata form, 2026, ash glazed stoneware, fumed/sagger fired, 3"x3"x3"
Mark E. Brown is a ceramic artist, sculptor, and educator whose work explores narrative, memory, and the expressive potential of objects. He received an MFA in Ceramics and Sculpture from East Carolina University and has maintained an active exhibition record for more than four decades.
Brown's recent clay work centers on the tsutsu-gata, a traditional Japanese cylindrical vessel form. Through throwing, altering, and assembling clay forms, he investigates connections between Japanese ceramic aesthetics and the rich pottery traditions of the American South. Rather than treating these influences as separate histories, his work considers how forms migrate, evolve, and become rooted in new cultural landscapes. The resulting vessels reflect an ongoing dialogue between Eastern and Southern traditions, using clay as a vehicle for memory, place, and cultural exchange.
Having lived and worked in North Carolina for more than fifty years, Brown draws inspiration from the people, landscapes, vernacular traditions, and craft heritage of the South. His work examines themes of place, identity, community, and resilience while engaging the region's enduring relationship with clay and handmade objects.
Brown has exhibited nationally and internationally, including in The Humble Cup, Dirty South Cup Competition, Small Works in Clay, and ART National Claybox Show. A committed advocate for the ceramic and sculptural arts, he has served as a juror, curator, lecturer, and panelist for regional and national arts organizations. Brown is Chair of the Studio Art and Graphic Design Program and Associate Professor of Art in the David R. Hayworth School of Arts and Design at High Point University.
