Troy Canty

Troy Canty was born on October 20th 1946. His parents were Billie and Catherine Canty. He learned to make pottery from his mother and grandparents, Arzada Sanders, Emma Canty, and Early Brown. Though he has been around pottery making, all of his life, he began regularly making it around 1998. His signature piece is the arrowhead peace pipe. He says that his favorite aspect of pottery making is carving and shaping his pieces. He has helped others to learn the craft, such as Eric Canty. He hopes to one day teach his son to make pottery as well.

Betty Blue

Betty Blue was born on the Catawba Reservation in 1934. Her father was Floyd Raymond Harris, former Chief of the Catawba Nation and World War II veteran. Her mother was Nola Campbell a Master Potter. She learned to make pottery by rubbing pots for her mother and experimenting on her own. She started making pottery on her own in the early 90s. She enjoys the results she gets from working with the clay. Her signature pieces are the Rebecca pitcher and the loving cup. She hopes to pass her skills on to the next generation by teaching her grandson.

Caroleen Sanders

Caroleen Sanders was born on the Catawba Reservation in 1944. Caroleen is known for the fine burnish on her pots. She frequently uses traditional animal motifs in her work. She is a traditional potter who is also willing to innovate.

She grew up watching other potters work, especially her mother, Verdie Harris Sanders. Caroleen began working with clay seriously in the middle 1970s. She was influenced to take up the craft by the Catawba Cultural Preservation Project’s annual festival. She received acclaim for her innovative busts of Chief Sam Blue and Margaret Brown. Caroleen learned her craft from master potters such as Nola Campbell and Earl Robbins.

Bryan Sanders

Bryan Sanders was born on May 5th 1965 in Lancaster, South Carolina. His Parents were William and Donna Sanders. He learned to make pottery at the age of three from Arzada Sanders. He says that he likes being able to carry on the tradition of pottery making and being able to be a part of history. His signature piece is the turtle flute. He passes on the craft by teaching his children and grandchildren.

Paul Campbell

Paul Campbell was born on New Years Day 1963 at the York Hospital in Rock Hill South Carolina. His parents are Susan Sanders Campbell and Ernest Paul Campbell. He learned to make pottery by taking a class in 2000 at the Catawba Cultural Center. He likes everything about pottery making but especially the tradition. His signature pieces include the wedding jug and various vases. He hopes the tradition will continue and believes that classes are the best way to do that.

Teresa Harris

Teresa Harris was born in 1948 in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Her parents are Beulah Thomas and Wilifred Harris. She learned to make pottery from her mother and through classes taught at the Cultural Center. She began making pottery in the late 90s and enjoys the relaxation pottery making provides. Her signature piece is a small smudge pot. She hopes to pass the tradition on by teaching her grandchildren.

Margaret Robbins

Margaret Robbins was born on January 14th 1957 in York County, South Carolina. Her parents are Earl and Viola Robbins, both incredibly skilled potters. She started making Pottery in 1987, learning the tradition from her parents. Margaret is a traditional Catawba Potter. She digs clay from the traditional clay holes, prepares the clay using ancient methods, and creates pottery in traditional methods using ancient forms as well as some forms of her own design. Some of the traditional forms that she makes include wedding jugs, canoes, turtle effigies, snake pots, peace pipes, as well as many others. Her signature pieces include the Sun bowl, Old Maid Jugs, Feather pot, Earl pot, and Viola pot. She enjoys the creative aspect of pottery making. She is still very active in the pottery tradition and believes that she is very lucky to have her parents as mentors and teachers. She has three children, all of whom learned the pottery tradition from her.

Cheryl Sanders

Cheryl Sanders was born in Rock Hill, South Carolina in 1958. Her parents were Melvin and Margie Sanders. She learned to make pottery by watching her grandmother. After marrying Bryan Sanders, the two learned from each other. She started making pottery in 1990. She says that pottery making helps her relax, she also finds that it is a good source of income. She believes that it is important to carry on the tradition and knows that when her grandchildren see her making pottery, they know it is important to their heritage. Her signature pieces are the horse and snake pots. In order to carry on the tradition, she teaches her children and grandchildren the art form.

Eric Canty

Eric Canty was born August 20th 1955 at the York County Hospital in South Carolina. His parents are Alonzo George Canty and Virginia Margaret Moses Canty. Eric learned the tradition from Larry Brown and Troy Canty. He began making pottery in May of 2007 and is already showing great promise. He enjoys the heritage of pottery making, he also finds that it is relaxing. His signature pieces include flower vases, canoes, and bowls. He plans to continue the heritage by teaching his daughter and any other Catawbas interested in learning. Eric Canty also does beadwork, and makes quivers and bows.

Keith Brown

Keith Brown was born in Rock Hill SC on March 23rd 1951; he is a member of the Catawba Indian Nation who grew up on the Reservation. Keith is the son of Ruby Ayers and William Brown, both Catawba. His family was one of the last large families on the Reservation; Keith has six sisters and three brothers.Keith went to school at the last Catawba School House.

He grew up watching his grandmother and other tribal members make pottery. He would frequently help her prepare clay and burn her pottery. Keith first made pottery in 1976, while attending a pottery class. Keith also had the responsibility of digging and mixing clay. He served twenty years in the Army. He helped to organize and served as president of the American Indian Association at Ft. Stewart, Georgia. Keith retired from the Army in 1993 and moved back to the reservation. Keith has worked as the Exhibits Coordinator for the Catawba Cultural Preservation Project since June 1995. Keith has done demonstrations at the Atlanta History Center, The McKissick Museum, as well as at the Catawba Cultural Center. Keith is a student at The South Carolina Institute of Community Scholars in the Traditional Arts. He specializes in clay effigy pipes.

Florence Wade

Florence was born April 28th 1922. Her parents were David Adam Harris Sr. and Dorothy Minerva Price Harris. Her father was chief of the Catawba Naion for about 20 years. Florence learned to make pottery from her older sisters Jennie, Edith, Fanny, and Sara Ayers, who learned from their grandmother. She started making pottery as a young girl, and any mistakes that were made were corrected by her sisters. As a teenager Florence wold bild pieces for her sister to sell at the Cherokee Reservation. She continued working in pottery until she began working in the public secter. Thirty years later, she retired and began work again in pottery, in order to spread the tradition. She gets great satisfaction from pottery in knowing that she is carrying on the tradition of her ancestors. She loves making Pitchers and considers them to be her signature piece. However, the most valuable piece to her is the peace pipe because it has brought various cultures together throughout time. She carries on the tradition by teaching her own children and grandchildren as well as others. She also does pottery demonstrations for visiting groups at the Catawba Cultural Center. She believes that it is very important that we follow the culture of our ancestors and she continues using the same rubbing rock that her grandmother, Sara Harris, used. Florence Wade is considered a Master Potter.

Mohavie Bryson

Mohavie Bryson was born on September 15th 1937 on the Catawba Reservation. Her parents were John Idle Sanders and Arzada Sanders. Mohavie learned to make pottery from her mother. As a child, Mohavie helped her mother by rubbing her pots. She remembers that her mother used to sell her pottery at Cherokee in the summer in order to make an income. She also recalls that her grandmother used to trade her pottery for necessities. Mohavie really began making pottery on a more regular basis in 1999. She enjoys being able to create a beautiful art form out of something so insubstantial. Her signature piece is the traditional wedding jug.

Beulah Harris

Beulah Harris was born on February 11th , 1929 in Gaston County. Her parents were Emory Thomas and Cleo Thomas. She learned to make pottery from her great-grandmother Sally Gordon. She also learned from Sara Ayers, Georgia Harris, Viola Harris, Nola Campbell and Artemis Harris. She began making pottery when she was seven years old. She enjoys everything about making pottery but especially, how much it relaxes her. Beulah's signature pieces are the peace pipe, wedding jug, and small round bowl. She is passing the craft on to the next generation by teaching her children and great-grandchildren.

Evelyn George

Evelyn George was born in 1914 on the Catawba Indian Reservation she passed away in 2007. Her parents were Early Brown and Edith Harris Brown. Evelyn was taught to make pottery in her home by her mother, grandmother, and aunts. She first started making her own pieces at age of eight. She sold her pottery in order to help support her family. In the 1930s Evelyn and her family traveled to Ohio where they worked at a state park demonstrating and selling pottery. Evelyn eventually worked in the public sectorand stopped making poterey until her retirement in the early 1980s
Evelyn George was concerned with all aspects of cultural life on the Catawba Indian Reservation. In addition to serving as a pottery instructor at the Catawba Cultural Center, she was the dance coordinator for the Catawba youth dance group and the oldest member of the adult dance group. It was important to George that Catawba youth begin to learn their traditions at a young age. She taught pottery students as young as six years of age.

Before her passing, Evelyn was the oldest Catawba potter on the reservation. She was also a wonderful dancer, teaching young girls the dance tradition. Because of her skill as a potter, she was named a Master Potter of the Catawba pottery tradition.

Evelyn’s signature piece is a frog effigy, however she did make many other beautiful pieces. Evelyn was awarded The South Carolina Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award for 2004.
"I think the next generation will be coming along and taking (pottery) it up. It almost died before, but I don't believe it will die down too much anymore."

Georgia Harris

Georgia Harris was born in 1905 and passed away in 1997. She began working with clay around 1915; she continued to do so until her retirement in 1992. Georgia also taught pottery to many young Catawbas.

Georgia Harris became a master potter by adhering to the strict standards set by her mother, Margaret Harris and her grandmother, Martha Jane Harris. A balanced form and a well-rubbed finish are some of her requirements for a quality pot. But a good pot must also be useful. A pot should be constructed so that its function is readily apparent to a customer. Because of her commitment, skill and willingness to give advice, Harris has been a major influence on many Catawba potters.

"When you make anything, make it to where it can be used. If you're making a pipe, make the hole big enough to get a stem in it. If you're making a candlestick, make it big enough that you can get a candle in it."

Mildred Blue

Mildred Blue was born on August 4, 1922. She passed away in 1997. She was the first Catawba to graduate from Rock Hill High School. She dealt with racial prejudice throughout her high school years. It was a daily struggle just getting to school buses would not come to the Reservation.

Mildred started working for the Catawba Nation as tribal roll coordinator. Her job was a difficult one, but she became an authority on lineages within the tribe.

Mildred Blue comes from a long line of respected potters. Skills were passed down from great-great-grandmother Rhoda George Harris to grandmother Rosa Harris to mother Doris Wheelock Blue to Mildred Blue. Blue is known for her finely detailed miniatures and particularly for her turtles. She takes great pride in being part of the pottery tradition and has taught her nephew Andrew Blue.

Introduction

This blog is the beginning of a book on Catawba Pottery. Please check out our website for more information. All proceeds go to Preserving the Catawba Culture and helping our At-risk kids on the reservation. Thank You for your support, we greatly appreciate it.




All information on this blog is the property of K.C. George-Warren and the Catawba Cultural Preservation Project. Please contact me at kcgw@ccppcrafts.com, or kcgeorgewarren@gmail.com before using any of this information.