Raine Middleton

Lincoln County ceramist Raine Middleton grew up in the heart of pottery country among the natural clay deposits and groundhog kilns of the Catawba Valley. Though she aspired to follow the traditions of Catawba potters such as her ancestor David Hartzog, Middleton took her own path.

In conversation with GreenHill curator Edie Carpenter, Middleton explained: “Whereas I am drawn to traditional forms, contemporary surface decoration has been my focus.”  Middleton’s thrown porcelain pieces with richly carved free-hand sgraffito designs will be exhibited at GreenHill for the first time in WINTER SHOW. 

The scraffito technique, from the Italian “to scratch,” produces ornamentation through incising into the outer surface of the pot to reveal a ground of contrasting color. 

 Hope for a Peaceful Future is decorated with vibrant red poppies and is one of a group of works on view in WINTER SHOW that includes plant stands, large vases, and platters.  The timely title of this lovely vase reflects the artist’s desire to “make joyful pots that could possibly make the world feel just a little more kind.” The forms that enliven Middleton’s carved surfaces carry symbolic meaning such as the red poppy, an emblem of peace since World War I. Beyond the beauty of their surface decoration, Raine Middleton’s works such as Meeting for Coffee and Art Downtown tell stories that capture our aspirations for a gentler time.