Heritage in Art

Heath "Strong Fox" Widdiss, is a member of The Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe of Martha's Vineyard island. Traditional Wampanoag artistic influences are present in his hand made, one of a kind pottery. They are fashioned using the many colored clays from the historic Gay Head Cliffs, Aquinnah, Massachusetts.

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Working with the cliff clay requires experience and skill as each color has its own individual compound. Each pot is individually formed using processed clay harvested from the cliffs at his in-home Southborough, Ma. studio. Each pot is crafted through a wheel throwing method and careful tooling of the rough design. and is air dried. This preserves the natural colors of the clay. Each pot is then coated with a sealer which accentuates the natural colors of the clay. This provides a hardened surface allowing safe handling of each piece.

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Heath Widdiss is the proud Grandson of the late Gladys (Wild Cranberry) Widdiss, a well known Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribal Potter, historian, and leader. His grandmother learned the skill of pottery through the teachings of her mother, Heath's great grandmother Minnie "Heath Hen" Malonson of Gay Head, Martha's Vineyard. Growing up in Wayland, Massachusetts he would go to his Grandmother's house after school. Before it was time to play he was presented with the option of beadwork or clay, he generally chose clay. Whether helping his grandmother process her clay, peeling a pot, smoothing a surface, or making a pinch pot of his own, the pride of helping his Grandmother with her creations shows through in his contemporary interpretations of the historic pottery of traditional Aquinnah people.

 

After a 32 year career in law enforcement he is now retired and able to concentrate on working with clay once again, carrying on the tradition of Gay Head clay pottery making as taught by his grandmother Gladys.