Giant Pots
These vessels, made by General Ceramics Company in New York, NY were intended to hold corrosive liquids. The stamped impression on each pot states 525 gallons and dates their making from the late 1920’s. They were discovered in the Fall of 2008 at Valley Equipment Company just outside of Johnson City, Tennessee.  Apparently they have been at Valley for over 30 years now and were moved there from somewhere near Morristown, TN.

This project got started when Tom Turner contacted Don Davis wondering if he knew anything about these giants. Tom, a great potter and collector of pottery, had seen one in the past somewhere else and had wanted to find one for several years. It just so happened that two graduate students from ETSU had spotted them on a visit to Valley, a popular site for artists to find intriguing components for sculpture pieces. The concern was that they were now gone, broken or sawed off to make into planters. When Tom & Don got on site they were surprised to find 13 intact vessels. With the generous help of  Valley’s owners, and especially Leanna Robertson, one has been donated and placed at the ETSU Art Annex next to the Ceramics Area kiln yard, two have gone to a local pottery enthusiast, and the rest to Tom Turner in Mars Hill, NC.

Tennessee Clay Recipes
Two new Tennessee clay bodies have been developed for use in low-fire techniques. One is” Vitreous White”, a fine particle throwing body maturing at cone 03.The second is “Brickyard”, a coarse hand-building clay using local brick clay from General Shale Company, firing a warm reddish tan, maturing at cone 03. It is a beautiful yellow ochre color in the damp plastic state. The clay from Don’s yard is currently being used as a terra sigillata and an engobe for surface treatments.

  Back to projects...

visit the house and studio..