Edgefield South Carolina Studio Pottery Jar/Vase by Genevieve Calmes, Student of Stephen Ferrell

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This beautifully crafted stoneware jar by Genevieve Calmes embodies the enduring spirit of the Edgefield, South Carolina pottery tradition. Calmes … Read more This beautifully crafted stoneware jar by Genevieve Calmes embodies the enduring spirit of the Edgefield, South Carolina pottery tradition. Calmes was an apprentice to master potter Stephen Ferrell in the ’90s, and this piece reflects the thoughtful balance of tradition and individuality that defines her work—honoring the Edgefield lineage while expressing her own refined artistic voice. Its softly rounded shoulders, warm alkaline glaze, and earthy olive-brown tones speak to the natural materials and firing techniques that have defined Edgefield pottery for nearly two centuries.

The Edgefield District holds a foundational place in American pottery history, renowned as the birthplace of the alkaline-glazed stoneware tradition in the early 19th century. Blending local clay resources with innovative firing methods, Edgefield artisans—many of them enslaved African Americans—developed a distinctive Southern art form that balanced utility with beauty. The tradition’s best-known figure, David Drake, along with generations of skilled craftspeople, helped shape a legacy that continues to influence contemporary ceramicists working in the region today.

Signed with Calmes' mark on the side just above the base. See less