A (very brief) History of clay in North Carolina

Seagrove is known for being the pottery center of North Carolina...and there are definitely more potters per square mile than any other location.

One result is the North Carolina Pottery Center, a museum and educational center.

The educational portion of the museum looks to some of the history of clay as a form of functional and artistic pottery.

And how did young people who were drawn to the craft learn about the skills?  Here is a 1970 photo of Penland School of Crafts students watching a demonstration by teacher,  Cynthia Bringle, who is still making beautiful pottery and has her studio at Penland in 2018.

Penland School of Crafts is closer to Black Mountain, being in the mountainous area of North Carolina.  It has a great gallery, open house, auction and studios...with classes in many crafts! Check out their own site.  I've posted several blogs about my visits there, (HERE) and (here)

Many potters today learn on a kick-wheel.  Before electric wheels, pretty much all pottery was thrown this way.

An interesting framing of a photo of clay diggers...as if we're looking through a window.  Clay is found along many creek banks in North Carolina, and some potters still dig their own clay, but most of it is processed in big warehouses so there's consistency in its handling and firing.

A great little diorama of a man firing a wood burning kiln...a bee-hive shape.  Now there are gas and electric kilns, but the beauty of wood firing is apparent and used by many potters still today.

A long shed roof protects the wood firing kiln, where the fire box is at one end, and many pots are loaded in the middle, before the heat escapes the tall chimney at the other end (missing in this model.) The grey pot shown is not part of the kiln model.

A kitchen scene shows how many types of pottery were used in early America.

And just in...from a post on Facebook for Spruce-Pine Potters Market!

What is a pot

a pot is not

just any gray

little bowl of clay

a pot is a pot

for daffodils

or a porridge pot

or a pot for pills

cruets and goblets

jars and jugs

platters and plates

and trays and mugs

shallow pots

or dark and deep

pot to give

and pots to keep

touch them, hold them

pick them up

batter bowl

or saké cup

and feel the curve

of earth and sky

kitchen warm

or springtime shy

a pot is mood

of many hues

but most of all

a pot is to use.

Delighted to welcome @cynthiabringle back to SPPM! She is one of our Esteemed Elders and is also the Mayor of Penland (😉). 

#sprucepinepottersmarket #cynthiabringle #penlandclay