Kenneth H.

I am Kenneth H and have been learning the sacred art of Catawba Pottery since 2023. Former Chief and Master Potter Bill, along with my aunt Elizabeth have been teaching me the traditional pottery building methods practiced my tribe. We formed an art collective called Blue Heron Clay, where we advocate and preserve the 4,000 year art form that is Catawba Pottery. We dig and prepare clay from ancestral riverbanks, build vessels using the coil method, burnish using river stones, and fire in a pit. Creating art using traditional methods gives me appreciation for my ancestors.

This piece was made with clay I harvested by the river, the most sacred thing to my tribe is our river, because of what it provides. I have been taught the importance of not just making art, but also making my pieces functional, just as my ancestors did. I started with a traditional pitcher, then added a bear. I chose the bear, which is called nimęɁ in my tribes language, because it represents strength and healing. Using my hands to create brings me strength and healing, which is why I love carrying the tradition of my ancestors forward.