Artifact of the Month: April 2017

Judy Baker Mugs Reunited

In 1956, Mina Fields-Johnson and Lolisa Laenger answered the call of the last frontier and moved to Ketchikan to pursue teaching opportunities. Both women are life-long friends, having met in the education program at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Mina taught seventh grade at Main School and Lolisa taught high school history. In the summer of 1957, Mina worked at a gift shop downtown selling Judy Baker's pottery. There she purchased two of Baker's ceramic mugs and gave them to a family member as wedding presents. In recent years, the mugs were returned to Mina, who kept one for herself and gave the other to Lolisa to commemorate their time in Ketchikan. In 2015, the two women donated both mugs to Ketchikan Museums during a reunion trip with old friends and retired teachers. While the friends live in different states now, the story of their friendship will continue to be shared through their donations.

Scenes reminiscent of Southeast Alaska decorate the mugs. One mug features totem poles while the other mug depicts boats on the water with a lively waterfront scene. Judy Baker was a local artist and potter, whose work was popular in the 1950s. Judy participated in Ketchikan's first ceramic exhibition in 1954 sponsored by the Women of the Moose Lodge. The two-day show featured ceramics by leading local hobbyists who displayed their own work as well as demonstrations of a variety of pottery techniques from free-hand modelling to how-to create intricate designs.

Ketchikan Museums, KM 2015.2.23.1 and KM 2015.2.24.1