Photo Courtesy of Artist
Pottery (Pamunkey)
King WillIam, VA
Allyson Gray is a citizen of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe of Virginia and a potter working within one of the oldest continuous ceramic traditions in North America. She continues to use traditional handbuilding methods and tools, meticulously shaping each vessel before finishing it through pitfiring — an ancient method that uses open flame to harden clay and create natural variations of smoke and fire. The process leaves behind rich blacks, soft grays, and earthy tones, making every piece unique and marked directly by the fire itself.
While inspired by the forms and techniques of her ancestors, Allyson approaches pottery as a contemporary artist. Her pieces are created less for function and more as works of art — expressions of identity, creativity, and cultural continuity. Through clay and fire, she carries forward the resilience of Pamunkey pottery, honoring the past while also affirming it as a living and evolving tradition today.