Marty Haythorn:
Artist, Educator, Mentor, Administrator
I’m a contemporary artist, sculptor, ethnographic artist, and educator with over 45 years of experience reproducing traditional Native American and Southeastern Pre-Columbian pottery artifacts. My heritage—both Native American and European—shapes my artistic vision and fuels a deep commitment to cultural preservation through art.
My passion for pottery began in childhood during family travels across the Southwest, where I met renowned artists such as Maria Martinez. These early experiences sparked a lifelong dedication to ceramic art.
In the mid-1970s, I worked closely with ethnographic artist Ivan Gundrum, producing museum-quality reproductions of Southeastern Pre-Columbian pottery. Since the 1990s, I’ve expanded my practice to include indigenous clays, pit-firing, and stone burnishing, while continuing to create both original pieces and historical reproductions.
I hold a degree in Arts Administration and have served in various roles, including Supervisory Arts Specialist, Recreation Therapist, and Children’s Program Coordinator at an alcohol and drug treatment center. As a Supervisory Arts Specialist, I managed and supervised seven recreational arts facilities for the American military community in Germany across three military bases, overseeing 30 full-time employees and an additional 20 part-time employees during the summer months. I am also the founder and principal artist of Ancient Hands, where I combine artistic practice with education and community engagement. Since 2011, I have supervised regional community members in the creation of several public mosaic art projects, one of which received a Creative Impact Award from the Georgia Municipal Association.
In 2011, I established the Wiregrass Artist Cooperative Gallery and served as president, vice president, chair of the Membership Committee, and chair of the Events and Promotions Committee. The gallery successfully supported regional artists for 15 years. I have also served as class coordinator for the Thomasville Arts Guild and the Thomasville Cultural Center, and as a board member for the Thomasville Center for the Arts. Additionally, I have written numerous articles for newspapers and magazines covering regional arts events and was a featured artist in Southwest Georgia Living magazine.
My work has been exhibited in over 120 museums and galleries internationally and reflects a deep respect for tradition, innovation, and storytelling through form and texture.
Personal Awards
2005 Tifton Love Affair Art Show "2nd Place"
2004 Valdosta Spring Into Art Show "3rd Place"
2004 Tifton Love Affair Art Show "Best of Show"
2003 Valdosta Spring Into Art Show "1st Place"
2003 Valdosta Spring Into Art Show "Merit Award"
2002 Pelham Wildlife Art Show "Best of Show"
2002 Saint Petersburg Spirit of America Art Show "3rd Place"
2001 Homosassa Springs Arts & Crafts Festival "1st Place"
2001 Cocoa Beach Art Festival "2nd Place"
2001 Chambers Native American Festival "2nd Place"
2001 Ridge Manor Native American Festival "2nd Place"
My work is exhibited in over 40 galleries & museums throughout the United States and abroad, including some of the top 100 galleries in the country. My Pieces have also been featured on episodes of Burn Notice
Artist Philosophy
It is not possible to adequately describe human nature without discussing art. The creative impulse that allows us to interpret the world we experience—and to express our beliefs about that experience—is at the very core of our soul.
I’ve been drawn to pottery for as long as I can remember. Making things out of clay is not a hobby or even an avocation for me—it is a calling, a mission.
The Southeastern Native American pottery tradition has been the foundation of my work. America’s First People were artists. Long before the arrival of Europeans, they created exceptional works of art from stone, clay, gourds, shell, antler, fibers, and other natural materials. They felt a deep sense of reverence for, and connection with, not only the visible, material world but also the spiritual world. For them, all of creation was sacred. This reverence was expressed in the artwork they created.
Native American cultural heritage is important not only to Native Americans but to all people of this planet. In understanding and appreciating their artwork, we are given a glimpse into the heart and soul of humanity. We see ourselves in a new light and are reminded of deeper truths about our shared humanity.
As an artist, my highest aspiration is to seek these deeper truths and to let my work shine even the faintest light on who we are and why we are here.
Native American Influence
My interest in Native American pottery began in childhood, during family trips throughout the Southwest, where we visited many reservations and archaeological sites. On these journeys, I met accomplished artisans, including Maria Martinez, and watched them create beautiful works of art. After one such trip, my mother showed me how to dig clay from a riverbank and shape it into small bowls. These early experiences sparked a lifelong passion for pottery.
In my late teens, I learned that my great-great-grandmother was a Native American from South Carolina. During the era of forced relocation, her family chose to assimilate into white culture rather than leave the land of their ancestors.
With deep respect for this heritage, I now re-create significant Southeastern artifacts, often reconstructing complete vessels from shards and fragments. I use many of the traditional production techniques and tools. This work has taught me that art is a sacred language—one capable of exploring and expressing our deepest values while honoring history and culture. It has become the foundation of my contemporary ceramic art.
I believe art has the power to bridge divides: between past and present, between cultures, between humankind and nature, and between the conscious and unconscious. To me, this is one of the artist’s most important missions.
Publications
Magical Deserts
Morocco
4/11-5/12
$600
Exotic Urbanism
Brazil
4/11-5/12
$600
Misty Mountains
Scotland
4/11-5/12
$600