“The Men Won’t Tell Us Anything” Returns to the Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia

The Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia presents a new featured exhibit, “The Men Won’t Tell Us Anything”: Women of Georgia Folk Pottery (Born 1950s – present). The exhibit opened on April 4 and will be on display until October 3rd, 2022. This exhibit is the second and final installment of the series highlighting women in folk pottery.

The show features a range of wares from churns and jars to bunnies and face jugs. In total, the exhibit highlights ten women, all natives of Northeast Georgia. Many of the women featured came to pottery through their fathers or husbands. Although their male counterparts may experience more canonical success, these women are undoubtedly important to Georgia folk pottery.

Potters included in the exhibit are Kathy Meaders, Treva Meaders Patterson, Anita Meaders, Annette Meaders Boswell, Mary Meaders Adams, Abby Turpin Ramsey, Lucille Winkler, and Dolly Hogan, and Jamie Ferguson. Additionally, Suzanne Reese Johnston serves as a pottery advocate for this exhibit.

Some of the potters are clearly influenced by traditional folk pottery, making utilitarian wares and using modified versions of old-fashioned glazes. In contrast, others experiment with figural pieces and commercial glazes. Importantly, through years of practice and
various influences, each of these women has found a unique style that pays homage to the roots of folk pottery.

“When discussing regional folk pottery, I think we tend to dismiss pottery made by women, seeing it as too decorative,” says Folk Pottery Museum Director Meghan Gerig. “I hope that putting their artwork in the museum recontextualizes their work in a way that respects the traditions of the craft and honors their ideas and vision.” The museum plans to hold a reception honoring the featured women closer to the exhibit’s closing date. More information will be made available at that time.

The museum is open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Ensuring the safety of visitors to the Museum is a priority. Masks and social distancing are recommended.

The Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia is located at 283 Highway 255 North, ¼ mile north of the intersection with Georgia Highway 17, and four miles southeast of Alpine Helen. For more information visit www.folkpotterymuseum.com or call
706-878-3300. 

The Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia is a property of the Sautee Nacoochee Community Association, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Events at the Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia are supported, in part, by the Swanson Family Foundation. To learn more, visit www.snca.org.