Local ceramic artist Janette Wall’s custom Carolina Creamware ornaments are available at Drayton Hall
by Lorne Chambers | Editor
If you want to get someone on your holiday shopping list something local this year, the gift shop at Drayton Hall has got you covered. It’s got everything from hand-crafted jewelry, locally written books, food, homeware, and more. Plus, all shop proceeds benefit the Drayton Hall Preservation Trust, whose goal is to foster a deeper understanding of colonial America and the evolution of life in the South by discovering, researching, conserving, and interpreting the history, context, and culture of one of West Ashley’s most historic sites.
This year, one of the more unique items you can buy from Drayton Hall is a hand-crafted piece of Carolina Creamware, a type of early historic pottery that was unique to the area. This distinct style is the inspiration for local ceramic artist Janette Wall. Her body of work depicts scenes of the Lowcountry in blue and white.
For the holidays, Wall created specialty, one-of-a-kind ornaments, each featuring a unique hand-painted scene. In addition to her ornaments, she also crafted hand-painted mugs, bowls, platters, and more.
“I’ve always been drawn to the traditional blue and white style of ceramics. While researching Charleston’s pottery history, particularly in Cainhoy, I discovered John Bartlam, a pioneer who brought this style to life in the Lowcountry,” explains Wall. “In 1765, he adapted techniques from Wedgewood, England, and established his own production here. But instead of depicting classical antiquity scenes, Bartlam painted scenes of the Lowcountry—an approach that deeply resonates with me.”
Although only a few of Bartlam’s works have survived, they’ve inspired Wall to create a body of work that reflects Charleston and its rich natural surroundings. All of her work is thrown on the wheel or hand-built, and each piece is hand-painted.
“The creation of modern ceramics is not much different than the past- electricity now powers our wheels and kilns,” says Wall, who first discovered her love for ceramics as a child growing up in Atlanta, taking classes at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center.
After a long break, Wall reignited that passion at Cone 10 Studios here in Charleston, where she learned from local ceramic artist Susan Gregory. In 2020, she joined Studio Union with the clear goal of launching her own brand. And Carolina Creamware was born.
According to Wall, Drayton Hall reached out over the summer and wanted to partner with her because they were looking for a local artist making pottery that resembled historic pieces. They invited Wall out to tour the property with their team of experts and to explore their collection of ceramic artifacts. Wall toured the house and grounds to get inspiration for scenes to paint for the collaboration.
“I’ve truly enjoyed connecting with the wonderful people at Drayton Hall, and we’re planning workshops as part of an ongoing partnership,” Wall says.
Drayton Hall is located at 3380 Ashley River Road. For more information, call (843) 769-2600 or visit www.draytonhall.org. You can find more work from Janette Wall at www.carolina-creamware.com.
