Jugtown Pottery: North Carolina town known for pottery since 1917

The Seagrove Potter Studio Tour is this weekend, so the Tar Heel Traveler visited for a sneak peek. The North Carolina town is known for its pottery, where Jugtown Pottery has produced renowned art since 1917.
Posted 11/20/2020, 2:44:48 AM

WAS RELEASED FROM

>>> ERA SCOTT MASON WITH A

PREVIEW.

>> SEAGROVE SPLIT BETWEEN MOORE

AND RANDOLPH COUNTY, THEY ARE

KNOWN FOR POTTERY.

SEAGROVE MAY HAVE MORE DAUGHTERS

ALL ENROLLED IN ONE PLACE AND

EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY.

>> RIGHT HERE IN THE FRONT, IT

WENT TO ABOUT 2400 DEGREES.

>> Reporter: THE POTTERY HAS

BEEN COOLING FOR ALMOST 2 DAYS.

>> AND THE SALT, AND THE ASH

FROM THE FIRE ITSELF HAS MADE

THE GLAZE ON THESE POTS.

>> WE MAKE A LOT OF TABLEWARE

IS, WE ALSO MAKE A LOT OF JUGS,

VASES, THINGS TO USE IN THE CELL

HOME.

>> Reporter: THIS IS HOME,

THESE OLD CABIN, HOME TO JUG

TOWN POTTERY SINCE 1917.

>> IT'S A WONDERFUL AREA FOR

SURE.

>> Reporter: SALT OF THE EARTH.

>> I WAS JUST AMAZED WHEN I GOT

HERE, I FELT LIKE I HAD STEPPED

INTO A SOUTHERN NOVEL.

>> Reporter: WITH A TWIST.

>> YOU HAVE A PLAN WHEN YOU

START.

>> Reporter: AND THEN YOU

MOLDED

>> THAT IS WHERE PRACTICE COMES

IN.

>> Reporter: AND REFINE IT.

WHAT IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE

IN MAKING A PICTURE LIKE THAT?

>> HAVING THE SHAPE IN YOUR MIND

AND THEN BEING ABLE TO

TRANSLATE THAT WITH YOUR HANDS

IS OFTEN DIFFICULT.

>> Reporter: POTTERY THAT IS

ARTISTIC, BUT USEFUL.

>> MADE TO USE, SAFETY USE.

>> BECAUSE WE ARE WORKING WITH

ALL-NATURAL MATERIALS, RIGHT

OUT OF THE GROUND.

>> Reporter: THE CLAY.

>> SO YOU ACTUALLY GO WITH

SHOVEL AND EQUIPMENT AND DIG IT

OUT OF THE GROUND?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

>> I WONDER WHAT PERCENTAGE OF

POTTERS DO THAT TODAY

>> NOT A HUGE PERCENTAGE, JUST

BECAUSE IT IS SO LABOR-

INTENSIVE.

>> YOU MAY GET A LITTLE

FLASHING OF COLOR THAT IS A

LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN

ANYBODY ELSE GOT.

>> Reporter: THE SALES.

>> AND WE HAVE VISITORS FROM

ALL OVER THE WORLD.

>> Reporter: AND THIS CABIN,

THE JUG TOWN MUSEUM.

>> IT TAKES YOU TO JUG TOWN'S

WRISTER HE.

>> IT IS RICH HISTORY.

>> OUR FAMILY HAS BEEN MAKING

POTTERY IN THIS AREA FOR QUITE

A FEW GENERATIONS.

I LOVE IT.

>> I THINK IT'S A VERY

MEANINGFUL THING.

>> A VERY CREATIVE THING.

>> TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT

YOU'VE BEEN CHALLENGED IN THE

PROCESS, THEN HAVE IT COME OUT

WELL IS VERY SATISFYING.

>> YOU REALLY DO IT FROM START

TO FINISH.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> WE WILL KEEP WORKING OUT OF

OUR TRADITIONS.

IT'S ABOUT RELEVANT.

>> WE FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT,

AND IT'S REALLY HEARTENING TO

SEE PEOPLE LOVE WHAT'S GOING ON

HERE ENOUGH TO RETURN.

© WRAL