The Hewell Family: Still "Turning and Burning"

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The Hewell Family: Still "Turning and Burning"

The Hewell family

Flint-glazed jug by Chester Hewell, with chickens done in a 19th century American folk art style. Hewell drew the figures with a mix of kaolin and cobalt that he applied (or "slip trailed") with a bull's horn. It sells for $300.

This "stacker jug" by Chester Hewell is a re-creation of a whiskey jug made by his grandfather, Maryland "Bud" Hewell, in the 1920s. The top has a Albany slip glaze, the bottom a flint glaze. Chester Hewell created a stencil to match the original cobalt lettering. It sells for $75.

Grace Hewell with her face jug rendition of "Princess Diana."

Chester Hewell watches over 'J.B.' the mule where the clay is ground outside the wood-fired kiln at Hewell's Pottery in Gillsville.

The view inside the wood-fired kiln at Hewell's Pottery in Gillsville.

Left, Confederate soldier figure (1992) by Chester Hewell who has made several of these, complete with "CSA" belt buckles. Right, Chester's son Matthew Hewell created this Confederate widow figure.

Harold Hewell molds red clay into a vase.

Chester Hewell relaxes in the doorway of the Hewell's Pottery shed where face jugs and other wood-fired wares made by the Hewell family are for sale.

Pig and piglets pottery by Grace Nell Hewell.

A Hewell family portrait taken in 1997. From left to right; Grace Hewell, Sandra Hewell, Harold Hewell, Chester Hewell (kneeling), Nathaniel Hewell, Amanda Hewell and Matthew Hewell (seated) outside their kiln.

Grace Hewell writes on the back of a face jug commemorating Princess Diana.

This two-gallon, flint-glazed jar was created by Matthew Hewell, with the cursive "2" in the highly decorative style of Thomas Chandler, a 19th century potter who worked in Edgefield, S.C. It sells for $80.

Four generations of the Hewell family will stage the 15th annual Turning and Burning festival in Gillsville Saturday. The free event is expected to draw more than 50,000 to the tiny northeast Georgia community 10 miles east of Gainesville. Top row, from left: Chester, Sandra, Amanda, Matthew, Susannah and Nathaniel Hewell. Bottom row, from left: Grace, Harold and Eli Hewell.

Eli Hewell, then three, in a 2001 photo with his father Matthew. The Hewell family has been in the folk pottery-making business for generations.

Customers survey pitchers, pots and other wood-fired pottery during one of the Hewell Family 'Turning and Burning' Fesitvals.

Free mule-drawn wagon rides are one of the 'old-timey' attractions at the festival this weekend. The free event starts at sunrise till 4 p.m. Saturday at Hewell's Pottery, 6035 Ga. 52, Gillsville.

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Flint-glazed jug by Chester Hewell, with chickens done in a 19th century American folk art style. Hewell drew the figures with a mix of kaolin and cobalt that he applied (or "slip trailed") with a bull's horn. It sells for $300.

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