The ever-popular annual Face Jug Show returns to American Folk Art & Framing this month, going live on the website on Wednesday, April 5, at 11 a.m., and opening in the gallery on Friday, April 7, at 11 a.m., with an opening reception from 5–8 p.m. The exhibition runs through Wednesday, April 26.
Stone Cold She Was. Stacy Lambert, artist
“Each year, American Folk Art curates an eclectic selection of these jugs made by select potters who use their own knowledge and creativity to explore and expand upon the beloved tradition of these works,” says gallery owner Julia Mills.
Twelve potters will contribute their unique takes on this art form, which began in Western North Carolina in the early 1800s when mountain residents often adorned their handmade jugs with scary elements such as snakes, grimaces and devil horns to keep children away from the moonshine they contained. “Many of the potters represented in the Face Jug Show are still following old-school traditions: digging and creating their own clays as well as firing in wood-fired kilns,” Mills says.
Stacy Lambert began his career in pottery after working with fifth-generation traditional potter Sid Luck, who taught him the basics of turning pottery, from handling the clay to glazing and firing. Thereafter, Lambert taught himself at the wheel. “The face jug has been around for centuries and I am always looking for new ideas,” Lambert says. His sources include magazines, books, museums and YouTube.
Lambert embellishes his highly imaginative work with pen and ink and colored pencil drawings, employs humor and includes stories on the back of the jugs. “My wife says that I am an artist and then a potter,” he says. He recently created a Medusa face jug that became a favorite because it allowed him to work more with the clay. “Stacy Lambert’s rich color palette and three-dimensional interpretations of people and animals are as much fun as a potter ought to have,” Mills says.
American Folk Art & Framing is located at 64 Biltmore Avenue in Asheville. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For more information, visit AmeriFolk.com or call 828.281.2134.
