Hollyworld: Deep Roots

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Deep Roots

Working on my family tree has been so enlightening. I found my roots are deep in the Appalachian mountains. Even before I knew it, I had a collection of Foxfire books and loved reading the articles. My collection of Appalachian books has grown since then. But more than that, those roots have impacted my work in the studio. I collected antique pottery long before I threw my first pot. I knew that was the kind of look I wanted with my own work. Old. Folk Art. I did my first report in decades for my ceramics class on Burlon Craig, a Catawba pottery. Oh, how I loved his face jugs. I loved the history of them. Mine don't look anything like his, but he inspired me. And my FIL was a woodcarver...his Santas inspired me as well. I'm sure others will open doors for my work that I haven't even imagined yet. Inspiration is everywhere.

As I opened a glaze kiln last week, I saw my past in the new pieces. Face jugs, for sure. But a face soup bowl. Face Planters. (I laugh every time I say that.) Even the glaze I use on these is inspired by the old time mountain potters. It's an ash glaze. You can see the runs on their faces. And those ashes? They came from the woodstove at the cottage.

I wonder if my undiscovered roots inspired my love of Foxfire books? If they spoke to me because some deep DNA tie to those mountains? Maybe my love of kilts is because of my Celtic heritage? Or maybe it's just because men in kilts look good. LOL Either way, my heritage has become a part of what I do in the studio.

We watched an episode of CB Strike last night. An author character was talking about how all writers put pieces of themselves in their books. I nodded. I do that and I recognize it. Himself and I were talking about it. I said so many of my books deal with family and kids. And my future love of pottery is there in Just One Thing. My current love of pottery is going to be highlighted in a new series in '22. (Yes, that was a tease!)

Deep Roots.
I am so inspired by this Appalachian family I've never met. I've heard my grandmother's recording...she's singing with siblings and playing the autoharp. It led to more exploration. I bought an awesome CD of Old Time Music, Songs of the Mountain. I've been playing it in the studio as I build my jugs and think of my grandmother and all the people I've never met. I read a great piece, Mountain Traditions, which led me to their podcast. That podcast led me back to Old Time Music and pawpaws, which I'm growing at the cottage...anxiously waiting for my first fruit.

One thing leads to another. One discovery leads to the next. Most of them end up in a book or in my studio. All of them just become another layer in me. Like Shrek said, I'm an onion...with lots of layers.

Thanks everyone who's been following my writing, claying and family treeing! I hope you're finding your own layers!

Holly

PS. My Hometown Heart short story, Something Unexpected is out next week! I got my start with shorts and always love going back to the format. This one was inspired by and dedicated to two people who really helped me out!