Recent Discoveries in Alabama Folk Pottery

Speaker: Joey Brackner

When: Sunday, July 18, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. EST

Where: Lanier Room, H. Grady Bradshaw Library, Valley, AL

Program Description
Joey Brackner is the Director of the Alabama Center for Traditional Culture, a department of the Alabama State Council on the Arts. He is also the manager of the Alabama State Council on the Arts’ Folklife Program. He has worked for the ASCA since 1985. He manages a project grants program, which supports efforts by Alabama organizations to present the state’s folk traditions as well as an Apprenticeship grants program supporting master folk artists who are teaching students their art forms. Brackner co-produced “Unbroken Tradition” a film documentary on Alabama folk potter Jerry Brown. Brackner is a native of Fairfield, Alabama. He received a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1977 and a M. A. in Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1981.

Following twenty years’ research, Brackner authored the most comprehensive book to date on the historical development of potteries in Alabama. His book, Alabama Folk Pottery, published in 2006, stimulated a renewed interest in identifying and documenting the various stoneware produced in Alabama in the 19th and 20th centuries by potters who created the utilitarian pots, jugs, churns, and jars for rural and urban people. His publication also has stimulated renewed interested in the potters and their families, their jugtowns and their production processes. He pursues additional research interests in traditional graveyard decoration and southern horticultural traditions.

Brackner’s presentation will address new discoveries in Alabama folk pottery since the publication of his book, with specific attention given to the folk pottery tradition of Chambers and Randolph Counties. Following his presentation, he will be joined by Gary Price and Frank Foster in an effort to assist attendees in documenting individual pieces of pottery. Gary Price is the principal coordinator of the Rock Mills Pottery Day. He is a Randolph County collector who works to document and interpret the location of production sites and production glazes and processes. Frank Foster is a descendent of one of the significant potter families of Rock Mills and currently produces traditional and contemporary styles of hand thrown stoneware at his pottery at Rock Mills.


The general public is invited to the meeting and is also invited to bring a piece of stoneware for the three experts to examine if assistance is needed in identifying the origin of the item and documenting its characteristics. The second part of the program will develop as an interaction between the experts and attendees as the attributes of individual pots are discussed. A number of pieces of privately owned stoneware will be on display during the program.