For Black History Month, 5th graders are studying the work of American ceramicist James C. Watkins. The project focuses on Watkins’ memories of his grandmother’s cast-iron cauldron on their family farm in Alabama.
Students are currently building "Memory Cauldrons" using a coil technique. To honor Watkins’ style, students were instructed to keep every clay rope visible rather than smoothing them out, as each layer represents a memory. The pots feature a spiral base and a twisted rope rim.
The unpainted white pots are currently on the drying rack. Next week, students will paint the exteriors "Iron Black" and the interiors "Fire Gold" to mimic the look of traditional fired pottery. Once finished, each cauldron will hold a handwritten scroll of a happy memory.