Most Southern Potteries and individual potters made utilitarian wares since this was most in demand, especially for everyday use. They came and went in and out of business much as many other trades did over the years. Many potters were not trained in running a business, usually working for others or sometimes working alone or with other family members.
The Potter generally worked out in the wooded areas mainly by choice but also because of the need for wood to fuel his kiln and the clay to use in the making of the pottery. They had sheds from which they produced their works. Many of these products are considered works of art and are sought after today.
The clay which was used, the glazes, the firing processes and the individual styles of each potter and the fact that no real records were kept, make it almost impossible to date or identify many pieces of pottery. Today we think of pottery as an art form not a necessary tool needed in the day to day life as in the past. One of the most common containers made was the churn. It was the most used piece in the kitchen other than the day to day plates and bowls. It was used in making butter, preserving/preparing vegetables for canning, etc.
Throughout the South, some potters/potteries have survived over the years with their families continuing their legacy. Others have had an impact that has lasted with their pottery now in demand as collector items. Once such potter is William “Bill” J. Gordy, whose family roots in pottery making goes back prior to the Civil War.
W.J. “Bill” Gordy (5/18/1910 – 8/19/1993) was an American Potter based in Cartersville, Georgia. He won several awards and honors for his pottery work. Some of his work has been on display in the Smithsonian Institute since 1940.
We, at the Seven Springs Museum, are also honored to have had some of his pottery pieces donated and proudly display them for others to enjoy.
Bill Gordy was born in Aberdeen, Georgia, in 1910. He trained as a folk artist under his father, William Thomas Beulah (W.T.B.) Gordy from a young age. As a teenager, he and his brother, Dorris Xerxes (D.X), guit school to study pottery full time. Under their father’s teachings they learned to make practical stoneware pieces (jugs, crocks, mugs, etc.). They also learned from other traveling potters that their father hired to work in his pottery from time to time. From his family and these potters, he acquired a strong foundation in tradition, innovation and was able to experiment with glazes and shapes.
Before settling down in Cartersville, Georgia, Mr. Gordy was an instructor at the John C. Campbell folk school in Brasstown, North Carolina. He was also considered as a “tramp potter”, as well, or an itinerant potter, working for a number of potters before settling down in Cartersville, in the 1930’s.
In 1935, living in Cartersville, he established his pottery business as “Georgia Art Pottery”, operating under that name until about 1955/1960. This was considered the state’s first artistic pottery studio. Here he could display his work. This also gave him the opportunity to expand on improving his skill, techniques, ways of making pottery and experimenting with glazes, colors and making different kinds and shapes of pottery other than the traditional pieces for home use. It was also a place other potters could come and learn to improve and enhance their own skills.
Bill Gordy used several markings on his pottery over the years. Some were handwritten others were stamped. These included: W.J. Gordy and a date; Hand Made by W. J. Gordy; Georgia Art Pottery or a three line stamp that said “GA.ART” “Pottery” “W.J. Gordy”. His trade- mark glaze color was a golden brown color called Mountain Gold. Bill Gordy’s Grandson, Darrell Adams, grew up spending time with his Grandfather in his pottery studio. He has become a potter in his own right and continues the Gordy Legacy in Cartersville.
This information came from various papers, books and websites. “Evolution of A Potter, Conversation with Bill Gordy” by Lindsey King Laub, 1992, provided/produced by the Bartow History Center. Copy is on file at the Seven Springs Museum and available at Bartow History Museum , Cartersville, GA.
Powder Springs Messenger Newspaper, “Southern Pottery” by Helen Norman, Collections Cupboard. On file at the Seven Springs Museum, Powder Springs, GA.
Wikipedia on line at www.worthpoint.com – Georgia Art Pottery-Guide to value marks and history. A search on W. J. Gordy/Pottery identification on Wikipedia.