Local potter Hamilton Williams enhances the Morganton art scene

A couple strolls into the attractive East Union Street gallery to peruse the hand-thrown pottery. They curiously stopped in after seeing Hamilton Williams’ signature on one of his pieces.

They settle on two handcrafted mugs and happily walk away with their purchase. According to Williams, the most sold items in his gallery are mugs and dinnerware sets.

Hamilton Williams Jr. brings a blend of fine art and traditional craftsmanship to Burke County with Hamilton Williams Gallery & Studio, showcasing functional pottery and a commitment to community.

As you step into Hamilton Williams Gallery & Studio, you’re first greeted by a stunning art deco gallery with soft music playing over the speakers.

To the left is a craftsman’s studio that houses the space for unfinished pottery and materials where the production behind the beauty takes place.

Williams, resident potter and gallerist, opened the East Union Street location in 2013.

The space is part showroom and part working studio where you will find Williams, a studio assistant, and a merchandiser. His parents work in the store every other Saturday, pro bono.

FOR THE LOVE OF POTTERY

Williams’ pottery journey began three decades ago. As a child, Williams recalls sitting in front of the television intrigued by Roy Underhill’s woodworking show on PBS. He says he was fascinated by the idea of creating things by hand.

“I didn’t know that being a professional potter was still a thing growing up,” Williams said.

He went on years later to attend UNC Greensboro where he settled into the design program, but a ceramics elective changed the trajectory of his architecture plans.

After college, Williams moved back home with his parents and converted their basement into his pottery studio and built his first kiln, an oven or furnace used to heat materials such as clay, pottery, or ceramics to high temperatures. Williams says he created there and sold his pieces wholesale.

He describes working on the pottery wheel as instant gratification. William’s eyes light up with excitement and passion as he speaks about pottery being a culmination of science, art, and design by hand.

POTTERY LAND

According to Williams, the ceramics industry is undergoing changes. Mines that have produced the potassium-rich Custer feldspar have gone bankrupt, leaving potters with fewer options. The material is used in the high-fire pottery that Williams creates.

He points to a blue bag of Custer feldspar.

“For as long as I can remember, Custer feldspar was always a standby material and it’s not available anymore,” Williams said. “When something like that happens, it’s not the end of the world, we just have to spend a bit of time retesting new recipes with new materials to try and make sure the glaze doesn’t change.”

In addition to some changes in the industry, Williams mentions the challenge of splitting his time between the gallery and the studio. He spends more time managing the gallery, which leaves less time to create.

“There’s a little bit of tension between having the gallery and the studio. Sometimes I would like to just disappear into the studio and get into that flow state where I can be productive and the creativity starts to come up,” Williams said.

His goal is to build the gallery business and hire someone to work behind the counter.

Hamilton Williams Gallery & Studio also features work by artists in surrounding areas on a consignment basis. Items can be purchased in-store and online.

Williams prides himself on partnerships in the community with nonprofit organizations such as Options, Foothills Conservancy, Southern Highland Craft Guild, and Blue Ridge Craft Trail to name a few.

Williams has a strong online presence that features studio journals and an ASMR YouTube video collection of Williams throwing pottery on the wheel. ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) is a term that describes a visual or audio stimulus that produces a tingling, static-like, or goosebumps sensation. Many people find ASMR to be calming.

As for the future of the gallery, Williams says the company will change website platforms soon to improve functionality.

Hamilton Williams Gallery & Studio will participate in Morganton’s Third Thursday Art Crawl on Sept. 19, 4-7:30 p.m. The gallery will feature Raleigh Avery, master knifemaker, for a handmade knife trunk show. Avery is one of 10 artists who will be featured at this month’s Art Crawl.