A documentary produced by Tom Mould, assistant professor of sociology and general studies, will air at 11 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 9 on UNC-TV.
Titled “Gracious Fanatics: The Passion for Pottery in North Carolina,” the documentary explores the phenomenon of the kiln opening, when potters put their work out for sale to avid pottery collectors, some of whom have camped out all night just for the opportunity to buy pottery. The documentary also shows how collectors swap stories and strategies, all the while figuring out ways to outsmart their competition.
Mould’s documentary was developed through the Program for Ethnographic Research and Community Studies (PERCS) at Elon. PERCS is a teaching-research program dedicated to conducting and assisting in ethnographic research locally, nationally and globally.