The SNCA and Northeast Georgia Folk Pottery
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Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Northeast Georgia is home to the Sautee Nacoochee Community Association. The SNCA is a non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing creativity and committed to preserving and protecting the natural and historical resources of the Sautee and Nacoochee Valley’s and the surrounding area. The Association maintains the Sautee Nacoochee Center which offers a Folk Pottery Museum, Theatre, Gallery, Art Studio, Dance Studio, History Museum, African American Heritage Site, Nature Preserve, and more. The SNCA has even established Sautee Nacoochee as an official Historic District and one of “The 100 Best Small Arts Towns in America”.
The Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia showcases the handcraft skills of one of the South’s premier grassroots art forms, and explores the historical importance and changing role of folk pottery in southern life. Northeast Georgia’s pottery tradition is nationally known and according to the SNCA website, “Georgia is one of the only two states with a 200 year unbroken tradition of folk pottery. Arie Meaders in particular developed decorative themes in the 1950-1960’s that helped the craft evolve from producing essential household items to creating a valued and collected folk art”.
The Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia showcases the handcraft skills of one of the South’s premier grassroots art forms, and explores the historical importance and changing role of folk pottery in southern life. Northeast Georgia’s pottery tradition is nationally known and according to the SNCA website, “Georgia is one of the only two states with a 200 year unbroken tradition of folk pottery. Arie Meaders in particular developed decorative themes in the 1950-1960’s that helped the craft evolve from producing essential household items to creating a valued and collected folk art”.
A link to the Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia
http://www.folkpotterymuseum.com
more about the Face Jug...
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The Meaders family is most well known for developing the “face jug” which was originally brought over by the African slaves. By law, slaves were not allowed to have tombstones, so sometimes pottery (or if possible a face jug) served as their grave markers. The ugly face on the jug was meant to scare the devil away from your grave so your soul could go to heaven. The ugly face jug was adapted by mountain folk during the era of prohibition as both storage for illegal moonshine and a child preventative. Shiner’s would brew up a batch of moonshine and pour it into a ‘devil’ or ‘monster’ face jug and cork it. The elder’s would inform the kids that the Devil was in the jug and if they opened it he would get them.Face jugs could also represent the character of the moonshine or liquor put inside them.
some Face Jugs made by students...
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