Local Potter Tells the Story of Ancestors with Traditional Face Jugs

Jim McDowell listens to the ancestors as he digs into the clay of the earth, creating face jugs that tell a story of survival.

“I have ideas that come so fast and I have a book I keep with my glaze recipes and I call it my Bible,” McDowell said. “Last week, there was a program about the first black NASCAR driver, and his name was Wendell Scott and people would say, ‘Give ‘em hell, Wendell.’ The next face jug I make is going to have a helmet and I will honor him.”

McDowell, 65, of Edgewood has been making face jugs made of clay ever since he heard the oral tradition of his own family being discussed at a funeral. His father talked about a four times great aunt who had been a slave in Jamaica. This aunt created clay face jugs in the tradition of scaring away the devil from slaves’ graves, during a time when it was illegal to purchase a tombstone for a slave.

“The story I tell is that we are survivalists,” McDowell said. “Those who came from Africa and survived are the people who are here now. The idea was that the face jug would be ugly enough to scare the devil away from your grave so your soul could go to heaven.”

A professional artist whose own home is a collection of paintings, prints and face jugs, including a near ancient piece done by another artist from another time, McDowell inscribes anti-slavery sentiments on the backs of his own face jugs. He also writes another phrase relevant to the present day culture.

McDowell was inspired to share those sayings after learning about a literate potter who was a slave in Edgefield, South Carolina named Dave. Dave made storage jars and was able to read and write when it was against the law for slaves to do so.

“When Obama was running for president I wrote, ‘Is it Obama or the Old Guy?’ for McCain on the back of a face jug,” he said.

The local artist recently played the role of Dave in a black history movie called, “Filling the Gap,” which recently was nominated for the NAACP Image Award.

His wife, Jan Fisher, said the couple has done research to find other African-American artists creating similar works of clay in the spirit of tradition.

“We know a couple who do sculptures but they’re not face jugs,” Fisher said. “If we did find another black face jug maker, they wouldn’t have the same family history as Jim. He does it from his own family and that’s what inspired him.”

In April, the couple is putting their house in Edgewood up for sale as they prepare for a move to the artist community of Asheville, North Carolina. A special clay sale will take place in their driveway on Gordon Street on April 9 beginning at 10 a.m.

McDowell said a few face jugs will be on sale along with the rest of his clay art at about 30 percent off the list price.

“I can’t do winters anymore,” McDowell said of the move.

“When I work with children – not just black children but all children -- I want them to know the history,” McDowell said. “I want them to know where they came from, who your people are and what they accomplished. A lot of times, some of these kids think they are worthless and the face jugs speak of overcoming obstacles – that’s what they speak of. I am still doing it.”

McDowell said spreading the tradition of the face jugs and telling his own family’s story has gotten more important over the years.

“If we don’t know the history, then we are doomed to repeat it,” McDowell said. “I don’t know if slavery is coming back or not but I don’t want it. I want people to hear this story, especially black people. We have a strong history in this country. People talk about going back to Africa, but I’m not going back to Africa – I’m an American.”

He said he will continue to elevate the story of African-Americans in the country in the hopes of sharing a message of peace and love through his own example as well.

“People who get the jugs from me, they get the message,” McDowell said. “They see the message and they feel the message. It’s wonderful for me to share that with the rest of the world.”

For more information or to purchase McDowell's clay art online, visit www.blackpotter.com.