- Introduction
- The North Carolina Pottery Center
- The Mint Museum, Charlotte
- Southern Highland Craft Guild
- Catawba Valley Pottery Festival
- Sanford Pottery Festival
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The Mint Museum, Charlotte
In Charlotte, the Mint Museum lays claim to the state’s largest collection of historic pottery. Its Bridges Gallery is newly dedicated to ongoing displays of North Carolina pieces. Currently displayed is “Clear, Bright and Beautiful,” which refers to colorful wares made between 1920-1950 for a market economy. New pieces and gallery themes rotate every six months.
The museum is also showing legendary Catawba Valley potter Burlon Craig’s pieces, including milk crocks, birdhouses and the monkey jugs that made him famous. Used to hold whiskey during Prohibition, the jugs sported scary faces to keep small children from prying open their contents. Craig is credited for having helped keep traditional pottery alive in the Catawba Valley by mentoring new potters in its methods.
Burlon Craig lived in Vale (Lincoln County) and died last year at the age of 88. Considered one of America’s great folk potters, his work is also part of the Smithsonian Institute’s collection.
The Mint Museum of Art: Open Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $6 adults, $5 seniors, $3 ages 6 – 17 and free for members and 5 and under. Tuesday evenings are free. Call (704) 337-2000 or visit www.mintmuseum.org.
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