In a dazzling profusion of historical analysis and photography, Joey Brackner delivers a compelling and important addition to the nascent body of literature on folk pottery. Tracing the early history of folk pottery in Alabama to the present, Brackner brilliantly interweaves the narratives of artists and pictorial elegies of pottery through a truly regional context, incorporating scholarship from neighboring pottery-laden states, such as Georgia and the Carolinas, to contextualize Alabama’s role in crafting the art of pottery. In doing so, Brackner succeeds in bringing much-needed attention to the ways in which pottery has contributed to the creation of a regional identity in the South.
Brackner reveals in the introduction to his book that he decided to focus on Alabama folk pottery to provide a complement to other state pottery histories and share the personal pride of his home-state’s traditional arts. Brackner’s dual role as both author and native Alabaman serves his mission well, as he presents a vast amount of information that details both the state’s history and cultural growth, in addition to its resourcefulness in turning to its abundant supply of clay for practical and decorative uses throughout its history.
The breadth of this book is its greatest asset. Brackner begins with a tour through the colonists’ adaptation of European glazes, and masterfully transitions through the progression and accumulation of Alabama pottery technique. He shares the evolution of pottery’s function as a method of food and water storage to its modification as both a decorative and gardening commodity. He also shows the migration of pottery traditions from the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee into Alabama while paying attention to the wide varieties of pottery that have surfaced throughout the transformative journey.
Brackner devotes an entire chapter to the variety of glazes employed in folk pottery, paying careful attention to the intricacies of the different glazes and how they have displayed specific pottery design throughout Alabama history. In addition to the thorough detail on the cultural and functional use of pottery in Alabama, Brackner also lists the tools, structures, and firing procedures used in the creation of pottery, as well as the ways in which pottery has been marketed and dispersed into the community at large.
While the first half of the book focuses on the cultural significance and history of folk pottery in Alabama, the second half of the book focuses primarily on the regional variations and manifestations of Alabama folk pottery across the state, which is accomplished with clarity and completeness. The book ends with Brackner’s speculation on the future of folk pottery in Alabama, as well as a list of folk potters from the state.
This book is large, heavy, and presented in a way that appears geared toward the lay reader with its colorful spread of pictures, helpful diagrams and notes. The physical layout of the book begs for use as a coffee table centerpiece, which is misleading considering Brackner’s professional, scrupulous overview of the subject in the text itself. Upon closer inspection, the reader will find meticulous attention to detail that may be offsetting to someone simply interested in general information on folk pottery. Make no mistake, this book is a comprehensive and tantalizing volume on Alabama folk pottery that will provide particularly excellent insight for scholars hoping to enhance their knowledge of regional folk pottery. Despite the book’s orientation toward scholars, it incorporates a great deal of visual stimuli and captions that bridge the gap between scholarly appeal and lay interest in Southern pottery. Furthermore, Brackner’s writing style is clear and personable, which allows for interested readers outside of folk pottery scholarship to enjoy the contents.
In sum, Joey Brackner’s
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[Review length: 645 words • Review posted on February 8, 2007]