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Mary Mikkelsen, Henry Pope, Mikpo Pottery

Biography to Display: 

1952 Born

EDUCATION

Early 1970s Wheel throwing with Henry Pope

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1970s Potter, Clay Artist, Mikpo Pottery, Mars Hill, North Carolina

BIOGRAPHY

 

Mary Mikkelsen is known for sculptural and functional pottery. She originally learned wheel throwing in the early 1970’s from Henry Pope, with whom she eventually started Mikpo Pottery. At times, she turned exclusively to hand building  resulting in her work  becoming more sculptural.

Mikkelsen and Henry Pope work independently, but by the end of the process most pieces become a mutual effort.  Mary is responsible for brushwork on thrown and hand built work while Henry is involved in the composition and layout of imagery on most pieces.

Mikpo pottery has had studios in Santa Cruz, California, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Asheville, North Carolina. In Charlottesville (1979-1998) they used several clays but mainly porcelain and a dark stoneware gas fired to cone 9. Once in Asheville, North Carolina they changed their firing process to cone 6 oxidations in an electric kiln. When Mikpo pottery switched firing processes, they also switched their glazes and glaze application technique to one glaze over another in irregular patterns to give variation and movement to the surface.

Public Collections

Public Collections to Display: 

American Museum of Ceramic Art, AMOCA, Pomona, California

 

Website(s):

mrymikpo.blogspot.com

Artist's Studio: Mikpo Pottery

 

 

Center for CraftSouthern Highland Craft Guild

 

Typical Marks
1975-1978
2006
Covered Dish
Date: 1995-1978
Materials: Stoneware
Method: Thrown
Dimensions: 2.8 inches in diameter
Surface Technique: Glaze
American Museum of Ceramic Art, gift of The American Ceramic Society, 2004.2.182.ab
Photo: TMP
American Museum of Ceramic Art, gift of The American Ceramic Society, 2004.2.182.ab
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Bowl
Date: 2006
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
Courtesy of worthpoint.com
Courtesy of worthpoint.com
Plate
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP
Teapot
Materials: Porcelain
Method: Thrown
Surface Technique: Glaze

Citation: "The Marks Project." Last modified April 22, 2023. http://www.themarksproject.org/marks/mikkelsen