Globalization and Me: Appalachian Face Jugs
Appalachian Face Jug Traditions
Morgan Gilbert
ARE 6933: Globalization, Art, and Education
Introduction
Face Jugs are an art making tradition that blend the traditions of Appalachia with that of Africa. These jugs, often referred to as Grotesque Jugs, Ugly Jugs, or Voodoo Jugs are known throughout Appalachia for their whimsy and character. The jugs depict faces, often with exaggerated features, and are typically made out of stoneware clay and fired in a wood-fired kiln.
African Tradition
Origins of the face jugs start with the African slaves who worked at potteries in North and South Carolina making bricks and jugs. After working during the day on plain, functional pottery to sell, in the evenings the slaves would create their own pottery including the very first face jugs. Although there is no concrete evidence on why these jugs were made, it is thought to be of both functional and spiritual significance. Functionally, these jugs were created as water jugs for the slaves to take into the fields each day. These were thought to be representative of the owner as self portraits. Spiritually, these jugs were often buried at the front doorstep of a residence to keep evil spirits outside of the house. The uglier the face, the better it would keep away evil spirits. These jugs were often also placed as grave markers in front of slave’s graves when headstones were not available or permitted.
Appalachian Tradition
After the tradition of face jug making was established by African slaves, it was taken up by Southern white potters. Face jugs have become ubiquitous with Carolina pottery and Appalachian pottery. These jugs are often 5-9 inches tall so that they could fit in small spaces in the kiln around the other larger pieces. These pieces were almost always fired in a wood fired kiln with wood ash glazing and colored underglazes. Once established into Appalachian clay making, these jugs became used for storing the most famous traditional Appalachian spirit, moonshine. The faces on the jugs were reminders to children and imbibers that the substance inside was dangerous to them. Tourists now travel to places like Edgefield, South Carolina and Western North Carolina to see potters working in these traditional techniques and to buy their work.
Settlers traveled down the great Philadelphia wagon road from Pennsylvania to Appalachia in the 1700s. These settlers, of German origin, settled in the heart of Appalachia and brought with them artisan styles and techniques. These German influences, along with the African and Appalachian traditions, created what are some of the most unique pottery styles now seen in America.
Contemporary Artists
Matt Jones is a contemporary Potter making face jugs in Carolina. Jones creates these face jugs as a way to stay connected to the tradition, but worries many contemporary potters are just using them as a product that tourists are attracted to. This not only creates inaccurate representations of contemporary Appalachian artmaking, but also stagnates new styles and directions of artmaking in this area.
Jones also reflects on an interesting connection between the face jugs in the way we talk about pottery. He believes there is an innate connection between the way we describe pottery.
“I have often wondered, ‘Why does all of our pottery language refer to the human body?’ We refer to a pot's "foot, waist, belly, shoulder, neck, and lip" without pausing to think that these terms illustrate a deeply rooted connection between pottery and the human body. In scripture, God is referred to as the "divine potter" who created man in "His" own image from dust or earth. There seems to be a poetic connection here as I contemplate man creating pottery (face jugs) in his own image. It is as though our collective imagination of the divine(God) or mundane(pottery) is bounded by our own contemplation of ourselves; our beautifully-functional physical bodies which house our unfathomably mysterious souls. (Jones, N.D.)
Jim McDowell calls himself the Black Potter and claims to be the only African American potter making face jugs. McDowell has a studio in the Asheville area of North Carolina and works to tie in his African heritage into his jugs. McDowell’s face jugs have been featured throughout the world and on several documentaries.
Contemporary Thoughts
In our contemporary world, political correctness and equality are some of the most important topics being discussed. There are constant debates about the preservation of Southern civil war memorials that glorify slavery. However, there is a fine line between preserving Southern history and not glorifying racist tradition.
The collaboration of these white North Carolina potters with the African traditions of their slaves has created unique look at globalization’s start in America. The south, and Appalachia in particular, are thought be sheltered areas with little diversity. However, the art of Appalachia has always been one of functionality and diversity. This blend of African and Appalachian heritage can be seeing not only in Visual art making but also in music. The most famous Appalachian instrument, banjo, is a traditional African instrument. This juxtaposition of two very different cultures brings a reflection upon how our future of globalization will be shaped.
Although these jugs are associated with two very negative stereotypes, one towards African-Americans and another towards Appalachians, I don't believe these traditions should be lost. We are now living in a time of collaboration of cultures, ideas, and techniques. Face jugs are an example of looking at this collaboration in a positive manner. This African tradition that could have easily been lost during slavery times is now being sustained and expanded upon by another culture. It is a collaborative effort now to build our cultures together and sustain them into the future. It is necessary to looked past to move forward in any civilization. Appalachian potters are now using these jugs to create a new definition of pottery in Appalachia.
References
A History of American Face Jugs. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2016, from
http://river.chattanoogastate.edu/orientations/ex-learn-obj/Face_Jugs/Face_Jugs_print.html
Civil War: Face Jug. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2016, from http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/educators/lessonplan/face-jug/
Jones, M. (n.d.). Matt Jones Pottery - Face Jugs. Retrieved April 17, 2016, from http://jonespottery.com/face-jugs/
McDowell, J. (n.d.). Black Potter - Face Jugs. Retrieved April 17, 2016, from http://www.blackpotter.com/
Morgan Gilbert
ARE 6933: Globalization, Art, and Education
Introduction
Face Jugs are an art making tradition that blend the traditions of Appalachia with that of Africa. These jugs, often referred to as Grotesque Jugs, Ugly Jugs, or Voodoo Jugs are known throughout Appalachia for their whimsy and character. The jugs depict faces, often with exaggerated features, and are typically made out of stoneware clay and fired in a wood-fired kiln.
African Tradition
Origins of the face jugs start with the African slaves who worked at potteries in North and South Carolina making bricks and jugs. After working during the day on plain, functional pottery to sell, in the evenings the slaves would create their own pottery including the very first face jugs. Although there is no concrete evidence on why these jugs were made, it is thought to be of both functional and spiritual significance. Functionally, these jugs were created as water jugs for the slaves to take into the fields each day. These were thought to be representative of the owner as self portraits. Spiritually, these jugs were often buried at the front doorstep of a residence to keep evil spirits outside of the house. The uglier the face, the better it would keep away evil spirits. These jugs were often also placed as grave markers in front of slave’s graves when headstones were not available or permitted.
Appalachian Tradition
After the tradition of face jug making was established by African slaves, it was taken up by Southern white potters. Face jugs have become ubiquitous with Carolina pottery and Appalachian pottery. These jugs are often 5-9 inches tall so that they could fit in small spaces in the kiln around the other larger pieces. These pieces were almost always fired in a wood fired kiln with wood ash glazing and colored underglazes. Once established into Appalachian clay making, these jugs became used for storing the most famous traditional Appalachian spirit, moonshine. The faces on the jugs were reminders to children and imbibers that the substance inside was dangerous to them. Tourists now travel to places like Edgefield, South Carolina and Western North Carolina to see potters working in these traditional techniques and to buy their work.
Settlers traveled down the great Philadelphia wagon road from Pennsylvania to Appalachia in the 1700s. These settlers, of German origin, settled in the heart of Appalachia and brought with them artisan styles and techniques. These German influences, along with the African and Appalachian traditions, created what are some of the most unique pottery styles now seen in America.
Contemporary Artists
Matt Jones is a contemporary Potter making face jugs in Carolina. Jones creates these face jugs as a way to stay connected to the tradition, but worries many contemporary potters are just using them as a product that tourists are attracted to. This not only creates inaccurate representations of contemporary Appalachian artmaking, but also stagnates new styles and directions of artmaking in this area.
Jones also reflects on an interesting connection between the face jugs in the way we talk about pottery. He believes there is an innate connection between the way we describe pottery.
“I have often wondered, ‘Why does all of our pottery language refer to the human body?’ We refer to a pot's "foot, waist, belly, shoulder, neck, and lip" without pausing to think that these terms illustrate a deeply rooted connection between pottery and the human body. In scripture, God is referred to as the "divine potter" who created man in "His" own image from dust or earth. There seems to be a poetic connection here as I contemplate man creating pottery (face jugs) in his own image. It is as though our collective imagination of the divine(God) or mundane(pottery) is bounded by our own contemplation of ourselves; our beautifully-functional physical bodies which house our unfathomably mysterious souls. (Jones, N.D.)
Jim McDowell calls himself the Black Potter and claims to be the only African American potter making face jugs. McDowell has a studio in the Asheville area of North Carolina and works to tie in his African heritage into his jugs. McDowell’s face jugs have been featured throughout the world and on several documentaries.
Contemporary Thoughts
In our contemporary world, political correctness and equality are some of the most important topics being discussed. There are constant debates about the preservation of Southern civil war memorials that glorify slavery. However, there is a fine line between preserving Southern history and not glorifying racist tradition.
The collaboration of these white North Carolina potters with the African traditions of their slaves has created unique look at globalization’s start in America. The south, and Appalachia in particular, are thought be sheltered areas with little diversity. However, the art of Appalachia has always been one of functionality and diversity. This blend of African and Appalachian heritage can be seeing not only in Visual art making but also in music. The most famous Appalachian instrument, banjo, is a traditional African instrument. This juxtaposition of two very different cultures brings a reflection upon how our future of globalization will be shaped.
Although these jugs are associated with two very negative stereotypes, one towards African-Americans and another towards Appalachians, I don't believe these traditions should be lost. We are now living in a time of collaboration of cultures, ideas, and techniques. Face jugs are an example of looking at this collaboration in a positive manner. This African tradition that could have easily been lost during slavery times is now being sustained and expanded upon by another culture. It is a collaborative effort now to build our cultures together and sustain them into the future. It is necessary to looked past to move forward in any civilization. Appalachian potters are now using these jugs to create a new definition of pottery in Appalachia.
References
A History of American Face Jugs. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2016, from
http://river.chattanoogastate.edu/orientations/ex-learn-obj/Face_Jugs/Face_Jugs_print.html
Civil War: Face Jug. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2016, from http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/educators/lessonplan/face-jug/
Jones, M. (n.d.). Matt Jones Pottery - Face Jugs. Retrieved April 17, 2016, from http://jonespottery.com/face-jugs/
McDowell, J. (n.d.). Black Potter - Face Jugs. Retrieved April 17, 2016, from http://www.blackpotter.com/