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Given the clay-rich soil around Seagrove, North Carolina, it's no surprise that the early settlers of that town turned their liability into an asset and became potters. Remarkably, there are now 100 potters in the 20-mile radius around Seagrove.
Vernon Owens' father, grandfather and possibly great grandfather were all potters, utilizing the kaolin clay buried in the local terrain. In 1922, family member James Henry Owen began working with Jacques and Juliana Busbee, artists from Raleigh who founded Jugtown Pottery. The resulting pieces were such a uniquely beautiful brand of pottery that they were well received in a Greenwich Village shop the Busbee's created. Vernon continues the tradition alongside his wife, Pam, and their son and daughter - using the local clay, turning pots of graceful silhouette, and applying rich and vibrant glazes unique to Jugtown.
Special thanks:
Vernon, Pam, Travis, and Bayle Owens of Jugtown Pottery
Jugtown Pottery
330 Jugtown Road
Seagrove, NC 27341
910-464-3266
www.jugtownware.com
email: jugtown@mindspring.com