Burlon Craig
Burlon Craig was born in 1914 in Hickory, North Carolina. Burlon first learned how to turn pots at 14 by watching a western North Carolina potter. In 1942 he joined the Navy and returned to Vale, North Carolina afterwards to farm, where he has lived ever since. Most of his pottery is fashioned in 19th century styles, and he makes both utilitarian pieces and face and monkey jugs. The distinctive swirl on his jugs, which he creates by layering several different colors of clay, is Burlon's mark on his pieces.
Don Craig
Burlon's son, Don, learned the craft by watching his father work. His work takes on a more artistic style than his father's, as he does some pottery sculptures as well as more traditional pieces. His sculptures are often whimsical, as he makes a humorous face jug as host David Holt looks on. Some of his jugs exhibit more grotesque characteristics, as protruding eyes or tongue or different positioned and shaped jugs. In addition, he heats his products in a gas-fired kiln, rather than the wood-fired kiln that most of the older potters use.
Dwayne Craig
Dwayne completes the chain of Craig potters as Don's son. Like his father, he learned from Burlon as well, as he would sit beside him and watch the master at work. Sometimes his grandfather would walk him through turning pieces as he tried his hand in the art. Dwayne's style is more similar to Don's than to Burlon's, as Dwayne sculptures figures into his pottery as well. He distinguishes his sculptures, often consisting of leaves and berries on the side of his jugs, by colorful glazes that match the appearance of the real item. His bird sculptures, while looking like carved pieces, are actually turned on a wheel as well. |
