William King Museum of Art presents Potters on the Holston; an exhibition displayed in the Strongwell Gallery & Glenn C. Price Gallery that celebrates the 100-year legacy of functional pottery that thrived along the North, Middle, and South Forks of the Holston River that flows through Washington County and Smyth County of Virginia.

During the 19th century, early settlers in our home of Appalachia produced functional stoneware vessels on the wheel and in molds, providing the containers for regional wares to be transported on flatboats from Saltville to Kingsport and onward. These potters on the Holston River molded clay from the riverbeds and established the mighty industries of this region that predate the boom of the industrial revolution.

Flash forward to the year 1938 where Edwin & Mary Scheier, beneficiaries of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, found value in the very same clay along the Holston River. Complete novices to the world of pottery that created a legacy long before them, this young married couple fed their dreams as they fed their kilns. With the establishment of their business, Hillcrock Pottery, they inspired young students and eventually settled into their path as instructors and artisans known for teaching and sharing the legacy of the Holston River pottery across the nation.

Members, Lenders, and Special Guest Prevue Reception:
Wednesday September 24th, from 5:30pm-7:30pm
Not a member? No problem!
Sign up to become a member for as little as $25 at www.williamkingmuseum.org

Tours at Four: Thursday September 25th, from 4:00pm- 5:00pm.
Join us in the gallery for a guided tour of the exhibition

Member’s Morning: Thursday October 2nd at 10am

“Potters on the Holston” is part of William King Museum of Art’s McGlothlin Exhibition Series. This exhibition is sponsored by Massengill DeFriece Foundation and Washington County.