Join artist Kerry Leasure in creating your very own Memory Jug. Memory jugs (also referred to as forget-me-not jugs, whimsy jars, mourning jugs, and other titles) are vessels affixed with various materials—shards of pottery, jewelry, stones, and other trinkets—often associated with someone who has passed. These intersectional objects have diverse histories, with roots in African and Victorian culture, and are now often found across the American South and Appalachia. This practice combine elements of folk art, memory formation, personal heritage, and cultural exchange, resulting in objects that are celebratory, sometimes mournful, and completely personal.
Kerry will provide jars and all required materials. If you have a certain vessel you would prefer to use, feel free to bring it. Kerry will bring tiny trinkets and filler objects, but you should bring a box of items from home to incorporate into your piece. Your jug can honor a specific person, a memory, a place, yourself—anything.
From Kerry:
“This is your opportunity to start compiling a box of your family tiny treasures you have saved over the years and don't know what to do with, The keys, the buttons, the broken jewelry and chains, the foreign coins, the sea shells, the stones, the broken china and glass, the tea spoon, hair clips and barrettes, the key chains, game pieces, watches, old glasses, dollhouse and railroad miniatures, broken pencils and pens- literally anything will look beautiful when your jug is complete. The more variety of sizes the better. Start it now! Toss things in your box as you come across them. Your memories, your jug, There is nothing too silly or obscure.”
Below are historic memory jug examples. Click each image for more information and its source.
