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Art Students Explore History Through Ceramic Face Jugs

A fifth grade girl works on her face jug project in the art room.
Art Students Explore History Through Ceramic Face Jugs

Fifth graders are currently wrapping up the wet clay portion of their ceramic face jugs, also known as ugly jugs. This long-standing OTS art project combines hands-on art-making with a deep dive into the history of this unique form of folk art.

American face jugs originated in the American Southeast and were first created by enslaved Africans. Though the exact purpose of these vessels remains a mystery, they are widely regarded as some of the first truly American ceramic pieces, reflecting the fusion of African traditions with the unique cultural context of the United States post-independence. Over time, face jugs have become a vital part of African-American art history, celebrated for their expressive, often exaggerated features and their role in storytelling and cultural identity. Artists today continue to create face jugs, drawing inspiration from the original designs made in the 1800s.

After completing the wet ceramic phase of their face jugs, students' jugs will be fired in the kiln, then glazed, and lastly, they will go into the kiln again to bring their vibrant designs to life.

A photo of a student's face jug project before it is put into the kiln.

 

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