Raine Middleton
pottery
As a descendant of Catawba Valley potter David Hartzog and a native of western Lincoln County of NC, Raine has always been drawn to the NC traditional clay experience. As an artist, she is drawn to contemporary design. This unlikely pairing of Traditional and contemporary expands her approach to making pot by the unlimited exploration of functional forms, contemporary surface designs and firing techniques.
“Constant learning, stretching and risk-taking defines my artistic challenge as well as my personal growth journey,” she says. Raine’s quest is to make a joyful pot while living a joyful life.
The work she fires in her salt kiln is carved with the vaporized salt forming the glaze. Pots fired in her electric kiln are more contemporary and have been described as “elegant whimsy.”
As a recipient of the Charlotte/Mecklenburg Arts Council’s Regional Artist Grant, she studied under Cynthia Bringle at the Penland School. Other teachers and mentors include James Watkins, Nick Joerling, Richard Burkett and Pat Sowell.
