MELVIN LEE OWENS

The last living potter of his generation from the Westmoore Community of Seagrove dies. Melvin Lee Owens, know to many, as M.L. died April 5, 2003. Melvin was born in 1917 to James Henry and Martha Scott Owen.  Melvin’s father was a potter who made pots for his own pottery and for Jugtown Pottery. His mother hand modeled chickens from clay that were also sold at Jugtown Pottery. Melvin, whose father died when he was five, grew up learning to make pottery from his brothers Walter and Jonah at North State Pottery, where he worked in the thirties. 

He opened his own shop in 1938, on the sight of the J.H. Owen Pottery. There he made and fired the pots while his wife Marie Garner Owens glazed them. Working for years on a treadle kick wheel, Melvin built electric wheels starting in the early fifties, first for himself and then for several potters in the community. He also built kilns for many area potters from the 1940’s through the 1970’s. He loved to make pottery and worked through many of the financially hard years of the 1950’s, never considering giving up his craft. Melvin was innovative in many ways, developing his own forms and was especially known for his graceful teapots and his own style of Rebecca pitchers. He made wood fired salt glaze from the time he opened his shop through the 1980’s. He developed earthenware glazes, in green, blue, yellow, brown and red. These were fired first with wood and then in 1962 he built and fired an oil kiln.

He shared his knowledge and ability with many potters who stopped by to listen and learn. Some stayed with him for a day, and a few stayed for months. He sold his shop to his son Boyd Owens in the 1970’s, and continued to work on at the shop until his retirement from pottery due to medical reasons two years ago.

Melvin received a North Carolina Folk Heritage Award in 2000.

All of Melvin’s children have worked with clay, they grew up working and learning by their father’s example. He is survived by seven living children and one deceased, Viola Owens Brady 1947-1989, potter for years at Jugtown Pottery. Living children and spouses are Bobby, the eldest son, who works in clay at Jugtown Pottery and wife Emily Owens. Hilda Owens Peterson of Durham, Vernon Owens, potter and owner of Jugtown Pottery and wife Pamela, Lula Owens Bolick, potter and owner with her husband Glenn Bolick of Bolick Pottery, Ina Owens Bolick, potter and husband Dell Bolick, Boyd Owens, potter and owner of Original Owens Pottery and Nancy Owens Brewer, potter at Original Owens and husband Gary Brewer.  He has 14 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.