Faith, Folklore, and Friends

Here it is, my anniversary present.  I have been wanting a face jug for years, and I finally got to bring one home with me. And, of course, it had to be made by Jerry Brown. I am aware that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and this thing is slap-dab beautiful to me.  There were several to choose from, and it took a while to pick this one out. I have named it Henry. I think I will start a new tradition of buying a face jug every year on my anniversary. Henry even looks good from behind. Right now, Henry is sitting on the buffet in the dining room, a spot where he will be seen by anyone visiting during the holiday season.

Jerry Brown is in his early seventies, and has been making pottery since he was a child.  For twenty years he worked in another profession, because it was hard to make a living selling pottery then. He estimates he has made at least a million pieces of pottery. It is a special day when you can watch a master at his work.  Mr. Brown started with a seven pound lump of clay, and in two minutes, created this vase. It's all in the hands, he tells us.  You have to make a thousand before you feel it. A thing of beauty,  made from a lump of clay and the hands of a master potter.

Jerry Brown's Pottery Shop is located just a few miles from Hamilton, Alabama.  It is a beautiful place. There are shelves and tables of gorgeous pottery. Because it was Black Friday, Mr. Brown was offering 10% off everything in the store.  I really wanted one of each item, but I had to settle on one thing for my anniversary gift.  Decisions, decisions. Mr. Brown was also giving tours.  Here, he is explaining to Hub about how clay is turned until it is the consistency of play dough. Mr. Brown uses this mixer turned by a mule, just like his daddy did for many years. The elder Mr. Brown had Jerry helping with the pottery making when he was a very young child. Above: Mr. Brown with his mule, Blue.  Blue is thirty years old, and has been mixing clay for twenty eight and a half years.  Mr. Brown uses this gas powered kiln, and he also has two electric ones.  He told us the color of the glazes they use change according to which kil...

Archaeologists have found pottery in China that was made around 20,000 years ago.  I don't know when or how the first was made; maybe some one was wasting time by the river bank and found that it was fun to mold wet clay into shapes.  Maybe they came back later, after their creation had baked in the sun, and decided that it could be used to store things, to keep things dry, and drink out of.  If anyone knows who made the first pottery, please share that information with us.  I do know that it is still being made today, and it is just as beautiful and useful as it was way back then. I love pottery, and have several items that I have bought over the years.  At first, I bought every kind I could find, but I soon ran out of space and money, so now I buy only pottery from my favorite potter, Jerry Brown of Hamilton, Alabama. The pot above was made by Mr. Brown, and I treasure it.  If your interests include local pottery, I would highly recommend this b...