Blue Crest

Lorraine Formato

"Blue Crest"

Earthenware Clay & Glaze

Small - Medium vessel that could hold your dried flowers, feathers, oil sticks.

Born one of eight children on a tobacco farm in Stokes County, North Carolina, Lorraine Formato grew up with the resourcefulness and creativity that come from rural life. An avid reader, she educated herself through books, cultivating a deep intellectual curiosity that would shape her life as an artist. Her path led her to the legendary Black Mountain College, where she immersed herself in an environment that celebrated experimentation and craft.

In the decades that followed, Lorraine became a pivotal figure in the revitalization of the River Arts District in West Asheville, helping transform it into a thriving hub for artists and makers. For more than forty years, she has created pottery that reflects the landscapes and traditions of Appalachia—organic forms, rich earthy glazes, and the quiet poetry of hand-shaped clay. Each piece is designed to be both beautiful and functional, carrying forward a legacy of craftsmanship, community, and the enduring human connection to handmade work.