Description
Quart-Sized Grinning Smile Face – Figural Head
Handmade by Steve Abee – Traditional Catawba Valley Potter
This quart-sized Grinning Face marks an exciting new direction in Steve’s figural work—one that reaches back to the powerful legacy of early American face jugs created by enslaved African American potters across the southern states. Their bold forms, expressive features, and unfiltered emotion laid the foundation for one of the most iconic traditions in Southern pottery. This new style pays tribute to that history while striking out with a fresh, contemporary personality all its own.
Wheel-thrown and sculpted entirely by hand, the piece features a wide, joyful grin brought to life with strongly shaped eyes, and textured eyebrowes and mustache that radiates character. The expression feels both playful and rooted—an homage to the earliest face jugs while bringing forward a modern energy uniquely my own.
Finished with a rich surface treatment and fired in Steve’s ground-hog kiln, the figural head gains subtle variations in tone and texture from wood ash and flame. These natural kiln effects enhance the sculpted details and give each piece its own distinct presence.
Compact in size but full of personality, this quart-sized figure stands as a bold, fresh contribution to the evolving story of Southern face pottery. It’s new, it’s expressive, and it celebrates the lineage from which it draws inspiration.
Size: 6 Inches Tall
Price: $165
Product ID: 005
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