gallery
300 Queen Elizabeth Street
Manteo, North Carolina
gallery
300 Queen Elizabeth Street
Manteo, North Carolina
Ben A. Watford Exhibit
Facing History
Facing History displays the work of North Carolina potter Ben A. Watford through a collection of his face jugs, functional pottery, and dragon vases.
These particular face jugs emerged in the Carolinas during the era of slavery. Enslaved people were denied many of the customary ways of honoring and marking the graves of their loved ones. In response, potters in the Edgefield region of South Carolina began creating face jugs to be placed at their graveside. Passed down through generations by oral history, the art form carried stories of ancestors and remembrance. Watford describes the often frightening faces as part of a practice intended to protect the graves of the dead with faces made “ugly enough” to scare away the devil and protect them on their journey to heaven.
Throwing his work on the wheel, then hand building the faces, dragons, and other attachments, these vessels became a way of marking what could not otherwise be marked and remembering those whose histories were too often denied. Watford carries this legacy forward through his own creative interpretations.
Show Dates + Artist Info
Facing History will be on display in the Vault Gallery November 6 through December 23, 2026.
There will be an opening reception on Friday, November 6 from 6pm to 8pm, where visitors can meet Ben and view his work. The opening reception is free and open to the public.
Ben A. Watford is a North Carolina potter, teacher, activist, and author who has been creating for more than 50 years. Born in Winton, North Carolina, and now residing in New Bern, Watford holds a Master of Science in Chemistry from Tuskegee University and spent his professional career as a teacher. He often jokes that his life might have been happier had he majored in art. Watford is best known for his face jugs, a form connected to the ceramic traditions of the Carolinas and their African American history. His practice also includes functional pottery and sculptural dragon vases. Beyond his studio practice, Watford is a prolific writer and community activist. He has published seven books, some in collaboration with colleagues. Watford is also a co-founder of the Craven County Community Bail Fund, whose mission is to promote pretrial justice and provide bail to non-violent people detained in Craven County who cannot afford to pay bonds under $5000.