Episode 29 | Face Jugs and Folk Legends: Inside the Catawba Valley Pottery Festival
In this episode of House of Folk Art, Matt Ledbetter takes listeners deep inside the Catawba Valley Pottery Festival, an event that stands at the center of Southern folk pottery culture. Held every spring in Hickory, North Carolina, the festival draws together master potters, lifelong collectors, and first-time admirers from across the country, all gathered under one roof to celebrate a living tradition. With the sound of laughter echoing through the aisles and the scent of fresh-fired clay hanging in the air, the festival becomes more than just a marketplace—it becomes a gathering of memory, artistry, and heritage.
Recording conversations live from inside the tent, Matt captures the pulse of the event in a way that feels immediate and personal. His interviews offer a rare window into the minds of the people who have shaped, preserved, and pushed forward the Catawba Valley tradition.
He sits down with veteran potters like Steve Abee, who shares the gritty process of digging clay by hand and firing it in wood-burning kilns, keeping alive techniques that date back centuries. He talks with Stacy Lambert, whose vibrant, hand-painted pottery once caught the attention of James Earl Jones himself, blending folk art traditions with unexpected pop culture references.
Michael Gates offers another perspective, speaking as a direct descendant of the famous Reinhardt brothers while carving out his own creative path in contemporary folk pottery.
La Ryan, a revered collector and historian, reflects on decades spent traveling with Howard Smith, documenting forgotten potters, and preserving the stories behind the jugs.
And finally, Dr. Allen Huffman, known as the “godfather” of the festival, recounts the early days of organizing the show and explains how Catawba Valley pottery rose from a local tradition to a nationally recognized art form.
Across their conversations, themes emerge: the physical labor and deep patience required to work with native clay, the evolution of pottery styles as generations of artists put their own mark on tradition, and the bittersweet challenge of keeping the stories alive as elder potters pass on. Along the way, the episode touches on everything from kiln accidents to auction surprises, face jugs to firing rituals, and the emotional weight that handmade pieces can carry.
Whether you are a seasoned collector who knows the feeling of spotting a perfect jug from across the room, a new admirer learning about folk art for the first time, or simply someone who appreciates good storytelling, this episode is rich with moments to savor. It is a celebration not just of objects, but of people—the ones who dig the earth, who risk the fire, who tell the stories, and who believe that a handmade pot can hold far more than just water. It can hold memory, meaning, and a piece of the soul.
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Welcome to the Festival
04:30 – Steve Abee on Clay, Community, and Keeping Traditions Alive
10:10 – The Early Bird Setup and Show Preparation
15:05 – Stacy Lambert on Pop Culture, Color, and 27 Years of Pottery
20:40 – Pottery Signatures and the Collector’s Hunt
26:10 – Michael Gates on Family Legacy and Finding His Own Voice
31:30 – Australia, Kilns, and Collecting Michael’s Work
36:50 – LA Ryan and the Gospel of Howard Smith
42:15 – Dr. Allen Huffman and the Origins of the Catawba Valley Pottery Festival
47:50 – The Role of Documentation and Oral History
53:00 – Auctions, Generational Gaps, and Final Thoughts
58:40 – Wrapping Up in Hickory
Steve Abee on Clay and Tradition (04:30)
Kicking off with potter Steve Abee, we learn about the importance of digging your own clay and staying rooted in regional traditions. Steve shares how his process has remained consistent for decades, and what makes Catawba Valley pottery unique in a world full of mass production.
Show Setup and Pottery Prep (10:10)
Before the festival officially opens, Matt walks through early vendor setup and gives listeners a peek at what goes into preparing for a two-day pottery event. It’s the calm before the storm as tables fill up and collectors start to circle.
Stacy Lambert on Star Wars and Face Jugs (15:05)
Stacy Lambert, a longtime fixture of the Catawba Valley Pottery Festival, shares how his work blends traditional folk pottery with imaginative, hand-painted scenes. Early in his career, Stacy’s bold style caught the attention of a special buyer—James Earl Jones. After receiving a request through Jones’s family, Stacy created a custom piece featuring characters from the actor’s film career, including Darth Vader and The Lion King. The commission ended with Stacy receiving a signed photo from Jones, a proud moment in his artistic journey.
Pottery Dating and the Hunt (20:40)
Matt and Stacy talk about the importance of dating your work and how pottery becomes traceable history over time. From markings on the bottom of a jug to old auction records, collectors and sellers both use these clues to tell stories through clay.
Michael Gates on Reinhardt Roots (26:10)
Michael Gates shares how pottery runs deep in his bloodline. As a descendant of the Reinhardt family, he opens up about finding his voice while honoring a legacy. He also reflects on his time abroad and how some of his early college pieces ended up in Australia.
Kilns, Breaks, and Coming Back (31:30)
After a hiatus, Michael returned to pottery with a new perspective. This segment focuses on how taking breaks and living life away from the wheel can sometimes bring clarity and deeper appreciation for the craft.
LA Ryan and the Howard Smith Connection (36:50)
Collector and historian LA Ryan shows off his prized book by Howard Smith, considered a bible in folk art circles. He recounts road trips with Smith, their shared birth year, and the lasting imprint Howard made on the community. It’s part art history, part personal tribute.
Dr. Allen Huffman on Festival Origins (42:15)
Referred to as the godfather of the Catawba Valley Pottery Festival, Dr. Huffman shares how the event came to life in the late 70s. His perspective brings institutional knowledge and a deep reverence for the folk traditions that shaped the region.
Documentation and Oral History (47:50)
The conversation turns to the value of storytelling, record-keeping, and passing knowledge between generations. From old newspaper clippings to oral recollections, this segment reminds us that preserving culture requires more than just collecting objects.
Auction Trends and Final Thoughts (53:00)
The episode wraps with thoughts on the changing landscape of auctions, how younger collectors are entering the scene, and what might be next for folk pottery. Matt and his guests reflect on the importance of community and the power of face-to-face connection.
Closing Moments (58:40)
A heartfelt thank-you from Matt and a tease of what's coming up next on House of Folk Art.
This episode captures what truly makes the Catawba Valley Pottery Festival so special. It is not just the pottery, although the craftsmanship on display—hand-dug clay, hand-turned jugs, glazes mixed by feel and memory—is world-class by any measure. It is the lives behind the clay that give the festival its meaning. It is the laughter between old friends who have fired side-by-side for decades, the collectors who can spot the curve of a jug handle and know exactly whose hands shaped it, and the new faces walking the aisles, learning that tradition is not something trapped in a museum—it is something alive.
At its heart, the festival is a living conversation between generations. It is an open-air museum, a reunion, a marketplace, and a passing of the torch all at once. It reminds us that every handmade pot carries more than just utility; it carries story, pride, hardship, humor, and the slow patience that only real craft demands.
For anyone who has ever wondered why folk art still matters—or why handmade things still deserve a place in a world that prizes speed and convenience—this episode offers your answer. It matters because it is human. It matters because it is imperfect in the best ways, shaped by hands, hearts, and histories that refuse to be forgotten.
And as long as the kilns are burning, as long as the riverbeds still offer up their red clay, and as long as people gather in tents like this to swap stories and pass jugs from hand to hand, the spirit of folk art will continue to thrive.