Porcelain Grace - Meryl Ruth

TwoSnouts is a ceramic teapot with tubular structure and two Dachshund heads at either end.

This work is intended as an innovative stoneware teapot. It is formed of two Dachshund puppies facing in opposite directions, but joined together so their bodies form the teapot's body. Spout, lid and base are centered between them midway along the tubular form of the body. The dogs' tails arc together above them to form the teapot's handle.
The body and handles are constructed of tubular extruded clay; the heads are scultped; the base is wheel thrown.
Decorative coloration mimicks the gaiety of the circus to provide a sense of whimsy.
Construction sequence:
    After underglazes are applied in the bisque state, the work is first fired to cone 06.
    More glazing is done and the piece is then refired to cone 5/6.
    [Additional details to be entered]
Date: 2010
Size: [To be entered]
Available for purchase
A work in progress.

Creative Process

Preliminary sketch and tubular structure begun in clay.

This innovative work envisions the integration of two Dachshunds emerging, as shown in this preliminary sketch, from opposite ends of an elongated tubular balloon-shaped teapot structure.
The dogs' tails lap over the body of the teapot to form the handle. The spout will protrude from the middle of the tube body.
The work begins with an extruded stoneware clay tubular component.
Three wheel-thrown bowl-like vessels are used to form the base, the third being cut away to create a tripod understructure for stability and interest.

Puppy heads attaached at ends of tubular component.

Dachshund puppy heads are sculpted separately. They are added at opposite ends of the tubular body structure.

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During this stage in the construction of this piece, its elongated mid-body tubular element split apart as the lid was being cut away. This incident gave me the opportunity to reconsider the work's inherent balance, form and overall design.
The result was a fortunate restructuring to achieve better stability and significant design modifications. I now envisioned a playful work with the feel of flowing activity reminiscent of acrobats in motion, as in a circus milieu.
This in turn generated stimulating ideas for a new genre of teapot motifs for future use, such as a banana split and others in Claus Oldenburg style.

The old spout, which I felt was now too small for the newly-designed overall structure of this work, was replaced by a new one. I threw several new spouts on a potter's wheel for this piece before I was satisfied with one that complemented the design, as I felt this one did.
The teapot's handle, made of a extruded clay similar to the tubular body parts, was added as well
.
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With completion of the construction phase, coloration is begun with various underglazes, shown here in unfinished state.
Some of the underglazes are hand-painted and others air-brushed onto the surface.
Embellishments take the form of bright whimsical elements with a circus theme.

Additional underglazing adds further details of the merry circus-like coloration for this piece as it nears completion..

A WORK IN PROGRESS

PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION