SAUTEE NACOOCHEE — The Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia announces a new featured exhibit, The Pottery of Whelchel Meaders. It opened on October 8, 2021, and will be on display until April 1, 2022.
The exhibit features traditional items such as pitchers, whiskey jugs and candle holders as well as more decorative pieces such as a “Boo” pot, a coffee maker and a variety of face jugs in all sizes.
Born in the Mossy Creek area of White County, Georgia, Whelchel was born into a family that had been potting since the late nineteenth century. He came to pottery after a career with the United States Navy followed by over thirty years working for the Georgia Department of Transportation.
“As a key member of the Meaders family, Whelchel has always been a potter of interest to the museum,” says Folk Pottery Museum director Meghan Gerig. “The pieces in this exhibit reflect an evolution of a niche artistic language that has been around for generations. Yet, Whelchel, through creativity, experimentation, and collaboration, has found a distinct style. From face jugs to candle holders, this exhibit summarizes a lifetime of dedication to folk culture.”
MORE: “There ain’t anything in the world like it”: The folk pottery legacy of Arie Meaders
Also on display in the Museum is the People’s Choice winner from the 2021 Folk Pottery Show & Arts Festival. “Nature Speaks” by Rex Hogan of Cleveland is a sculptural piece depicting a crow over its nest of eggs.
The Museum is open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. A modest admission is charged. Ensuring the safety of visitors to the Museum is a priority. Masks are required and social distancing is recommended.
The Folk Pottery Museum of Northeast Georgia is located at 283 Highway 255 North, a quarter-mile north of the intersection with Georgia Highway 17, and four miles southeast of Alpine Helen.
