THE Georgia Harris Foundation

Our Mission

The mission of the Georgia Harris Foundation is to preserve and revitalize the 4,000-year-old tradition of Catawba pottery by teaching time-honored methods passed down through generations. We are dedicated to engaging Catawba citizens in the cultural, spiritual, and technical importance of working with Catawba clay, and to educating broader communities about the significance of this enduring art form—ensuring it continues to thrive for generations to come.

Our History

The Georgia Harris Foundation was established in 2024 by three Catawba citizens who actively practice the art of Catawba pottery. United by a shared commitment to preserving our ancient clay tradition, they founded the organization to ensure that this cultural practice continues to thrive for generations to come.

In 2025, the Foundation was officially recognized as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization by the IRS. This milestone allows us to expand our mission—supporting education, mentorship, and community engagement rooted in the traditional methods of Catawba pottery making.

Through workshops, apprenticeships, cultural exchange, and advocacy, the Georgia Harris Foundation honors the legacy of Master Potter Georgia Harris and carries forward the unbroken tradition of Catawba clay.

ProgramMing Overview

The Georgia Harris Foundation is committed to preserving and passing on the traditional art of Catawba pottery through education, mentorship, and community engagement.

Thanks to generous support from the Taproot Fellowship, awarded to our Chairman, Bill Harris, we are proud to launch our first Summer Youth Apprenticeship Program in 2025. This program is supported by a $10,000 unrestricted grant for a community-based cultural project. Learn more about the Taproot Fellowship here: https://taproot.actaonline.org

This inaugural apprenticeship will provide hands-on, intergenerational learning opportunities for Catawba youth, ensuring that our traditional pottery practices continue to thrive well into the future. We aim to sustain and expand this program in the coming years and are actively seeking additional funding to support apprenticeships, fellowships, and artist programs for Catawba citizens dedicated to creating high-quality, traditional clay artwork.

In addition, we are available to provide artist talks, demonstrations, and educational programming for schools, cultural institutions, and community groups. Contact us to learn more about upcoming programs, partnership opportunities, or how to support our work.

impact

Inside our Community

Outside our Community

We provide Catawba pottery classes for youth and adults in partnership with the Catawba Nation’s Cultural Center and Children's programs as well as one-on-one mentoring. These hands-on programs introduce citizens to traditional pottery methods while deepening our connection to Catawba identity, language, and values.

Summer Youth Apprenticeship program is an 8-week immersive program offering young adults an in-depth education in traditional Catawba pottery. Participants learn every step of the process — from clay gathering and processing to coiling, burnishing, and open-pit firing — while also gaining a deeper understanding of the cultural and spiritual meaning of the art form.

Regular gatherings bring together Catawba potters and artists of all skill levels to share techniques, stories, and cultural teachings. These events strengthen community bonds and ensure knowledge is passed from generation to generation. We are working toward establishing a Catawba Artist Guild to further support artists with resources, advocacy, and collective visibility.

We are developing an annual fellowship program to support Catawba citizens dedicated to learning, preserving, and teaching traditional art and culture. This initiative will help cultivate future cultural leaders and honor those who serve as stewards of our heritage.

Outside our Community

Partnership with ArtFields: Southeast Native Art Initiative
We are honored to collaborate with ArtFields on a regional planning effort focused on expanding visibility for Native artists throughout the Southeast. This partnership aims to increase representation through curated exhibitions and community education, while laying the groundwork for a future Southeast Native Art Market — a dedicated space to celebrate and support the work of Native creatives.
Collaboration with the South Carolina State Museum
The Foundation is actively partnering with the SC State Museum to help revise and expand their Catawba pottery exhibit. This collaboration ensures that Catawba stories are told by Catawba people, with historical accuracy and cultural integrity, and that museum audiences gain a deeper appreciation for the legacy and living tradition of our pottery.
Artist Talks, Demonstrations & Cultural Education
Our artists and culture bearers regularly participate in public talks, live pottery demonstrations, and cultural programming across North and South Carolina. These engagements serve as powerful tools for education and outreach — helping audiences of all backgrounds understand the history, beauty, and ongoing significance of Catawba pottery as a living art form.