Fred learned to make pots in the Seagrove area in the 1980’s. This experience was the catalyst for Fred’s commitment and passion to the pottery vernacular, which turned into an adventure and education. After attending Montgomery Community College, Fred went on to attend the New York State School of Ceramics at Alfred University where he received a BFA with honors and then a MFA from the College of Art & Architecture at Penn State University.

He was an artist in resident at Arrowmont School of Arts in Tennessee, the Sanbao Ceramic Institute in Jingdezhen,China and ArtLink in Tallin, Estonia. In 1997 Fred and his wife Carol Gentithes established Johnston & Gentithes Art Pottery in Seagrove, NC where they presently make and sell their work. Fred’s first large scale sculpture is sited at the Center City Park in downtown Greensboro, NC. His work is exhibited nationally and internationally and is in the permanent collection of the North Carolina Pottery Center, Crocker Art Museum, Hermitage Museum and Mint Museum.