Crafting 'ghost pots' from the past

Americana Project students at Sisters Middle School work on "ghost pots" in an expanded curriculum that includes folk art as well as roots music. photo by Jim Mitchell Previously devoted to exploring grassroots American music, Kit Stafford is taking the Americana Project beyond music to expose students to other aspects of Americana -- history, folklore, art, and geography.

Sisters Middle School students recently created "ghost pots" as part of an expanded curriculum within the Americana Project.

Local potter Ken Merrill, owner of Canyon Creek Pottery, created and donated 20 pots to Stafford's class. The students then created faces ("ghosts") on the pots before they were glazed and fired.

The ghost pots, also called face pots, were used by early American slaves as a vessel for the ashes of their ancestors. The likeness of an ancestor would be created on the pot as a means of tying the past to the present.

Some of Stafford's students created imaginary faces and images on their pots. Others tried to include a particular facial characteristic of an ancestor -- hair style, shape of nose, an expression that they remember.

In addition, Stafford has incorporated a study of Americana art and culture, starting with the deep South and progressing northward and westward. The class will soon be concentrating on the West -- freedom of expression, expansion, cowboy culture and will end up in rock & roll, the '60s and current events.

Ghost pots feature faces of ancestors -- or of fancy. photo by Jim Mitchell

In one project, students drew a card listing an occupation from an early American time period. They had to research that occupation and were then instructed to paint a portrait of a person with that occupation -- plantation owner, blacksmith, doctor, seamstress, teacher, etc. The Stitchin' Post donated fabric samples representative of that era. The students then incorporated that pattern somewhere in their paintings.

In keeping with the musical origins of the Americana Project, the middle school class is making use of 15 new Breedlove guitars, donated to the program by the well-known local instrument maker. Stafford said that students are learning basic chords and at least one is already writing his own songs.

Kit Stafford applauds the community support for the expanding project. She said people on the street and in the stores express interest and give encouragement. Some are envious that they were not able to experience similar projects in school.

Stafford was loaned an "old-time" phonograph (with real records) -- an unknown to many of the students. Many had never seen a record before. The phonograph itself is a tie to the past and Stafford uses it as an effective teaching tool.

Weekly, she turns out the lights and plays some music. Students are asked to describe the music, their feelings toward the music and any associations they feel. They answer questions like: What instruments are being played? What kind of voice and expression? What colors do you see or feel? They keep a file with written entries from each week, building on vocabulary and personal observations.

The class will be repeated each trimester through this school year.