“A Thriving Tradition” at the Mint Museum Randolph.

There are only a few months left to enjoy the wonderful collection of North Carolina pottery on view at the Mint Museum Randolph.  “A Thriving Tradition” features 75 years of collecting North Carolina Pottery across the state’s pottery centers, including the Piedmont, Catawba Valley, and the Mountains. The Mint began its pottery collection with four pieces by Benjamin Wade Owens, a principal potter at Jugtown, and it has now grown to include more than 2,100 examples.

“Lion” by Crystal King.

The Mint’s significant pottery collection owes much to the generosity and connoisseurship of several prominent collectors. Perhaps the most influential collector has been Daisy Wade Bridges who personally donated ceramics to the Mint; engineered the acquisition of several key collections, including the Delhom Collection of European and Asian ceramics; and curated exhibitions on American pottery. Bridges’ interest in pottery largely grew from her employment with Josiah Wedgwood and Sons and expanded into a love for North Carolina pottery.

“A Thriving Tradition” at the Mint Museum Randolph.

“A Thriving Tradition” offers an excellent balance between traditional and contemporary North Carolina pottery. The exhibition largely focuses on the impact of pottery collectors and the Mint Museum’s role; it lacks an in depth exploration of techniques, styles and the history of North Carolina pottery, but for the experienced viewer this exhibition offers a new element by exploring collectors.

Mint Museum Randolph: 2730 Randolph Rd., Charlotte; 704-337-2000; www.mintmuseum.org. Open Tues., 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; and Sun., 1–5 p.m. Admission: adults $10; students/seniors, $8; children 5-17, $5. Vases by Phil Morgan.