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Ep. 19 – The Cost of Growing a Creative Business with Alex Matisse of East Fork

www.howyoucreate.co

Ep. 19 – The Cost of Growing a Creative Business with Alex Matisse of East Fork

New podcast episode with Alex Matisse. We discuss so many things like designing the perfect mug, art vs. craft, and the tensions of leading a creative, impactful, and thriving business.

Ben Terry
and
Joshua Jean-Marie
Jan 26, 2023
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Ep. 19 – The Cost of Growing a Creative Business with Alex Matisse of East Fork

www.howyoucreate.co

In 2009, Alex Matisse left an apprenticeship with legendary potter, Mark Hewitt, and purchased a property in Asheville, where he built a 36-foot-long wood-burning kiln. Soon after, Alex co-founded East Fork Pottery with Connie Matisse and John Vigeland with the vision to grow a pottery business that is both impactful and successful. Alex has been shaping East Fork Pottery both literally and figuratively for the past fourteen years. 

Alex Matisse loading wood into the kiln

He shares about the values he holds and how he brings that to the business at East Fork; he’s passionate about his local community, about bringing a human-centeredness to both his craft and the environment he creates for the employees of East Fork, and about not just defaulting to the most traditional approach to something, but doing things differently.

Listen to the Podcast

We spent a lot of time with Alex talking about East Fork, but we also talked about a rare or interesting possession that he owns and cherishes. Alex talks more about this on the podcast but here’s an image below of one of his favorite things he owns.

Alex shares one of the most prized possessions in his home.

Alex shares with us some context behind these mugs, “Here are two images of a small cup I made when I was an apprentice at Mark Hewitt's pottery in Pittsboro, NC.  Making for me was always the pursuit of some elusive perfect pot that was always just out of reach.  Today, on the plant floor, we call it continuous improvement.  Every once in a great while a potter finds it.

Listen to the Podcast

Alex continues, “This small pot was one of those examples out of the thousands of pieces I made, as an apprentice and then on my own.  The balance, the weight (this one is feather-light), the volume, and the curves occasionally all come together.  One day I will have time to be back on the wheel and continue the search but for now, that spirit is brought to bear in the nurturing, growth, and development of our organization.”

The Evolution of the East Fork mug.

Does the perfect mug exist? Alex and his team at East Fork surely seem to have created it and I’m willing to go on the record to say it is the perfect mug! Above are images of the evolution of East Fork’s mugs. If you don’t have one of these beautiful mugs then you need to head on over and cop one or two or more! You won’t regret it.

person cleaning rims of bitty bowls by hand
Image from East Fork’s website

Alex and the East Fork team have created more than just the perfect mug. They’ve created a meaningful, creative business that features so many of those beautiful objects both online and in their retail stores in Ashville, NC, and Atlanta, GA.

Shop East Fork Store

We were already fans of Alex and East Fork before this interview, but now we’ve reached new heights of fandom. We love their commitment to being a B-Corp, creativity, workplace equity, and pursuing perfection in their craft as the best potters in the business.

Looking for more information on Alex Matisse and East Fork Pottery? Here are some articles that go deeper into their business and creative practice:

  • New York Times – Shaping the Future of a New American Pottery Company

  • Barron’s – East Fork’s Pottery With a Purpose

  • Fast Company – The quiet radicalism of Henri Matisse’s great-grandson

  • YouTube – Growing up a Matisse with Alex and Sophie Matisse

  • GearPatrol – East Fork's Gorgeous Pottery Is the Result of Workplace Equity, Artistry and Big, Bold Changes

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Ep. 19 – The Cost of Growing a Creative Business with Alex Matisse of East Fork

www.howyoucreate.co
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