Ah Leon
Trunk Teapot with Bent Branch No. 749, 1994
Earthenware
11 1/2 x 10 3/4 x 5 7/8 inches
Racine Art Museum, Gift of David and Jacqueline Charak
Photography: Jon Bolton
Variations on a Theme: Teapots from RAM’s Collection
January 29 – July 9, 2017
While the teapot as a functional object can be traced back about 800 years to China, the form is familiar in Western Europe and the United States. As the teapot became connected to status and luxury via trade centuries ago, Western manufacture began in earnest. Most of the earliest teapots were metal, yet within the context of contemporary craft, most are associated with ceramics. RAM’s holdings include teapots made in a variety of materials, yet those made of clay are the most numerous.
In 1999, collector Donna Moog offered RAM a gift of over 250 teapots. The impact of the Moog collection cannot be understated as it represents a large body of work by diverse artists in a range of styles. Since this gift, RAM has added over 100 teapots from other donors, thereby establishing one of the largest public collections of contemporary artist-made teapots in the United States.
Visitors were encouraged to vote for their favorite teapot in the exhibition. At the close of the show, the ten teapots with the most votes stayed on display for an extended period of time.
More About the Exhibition
Artists in the Exhibition
Daniel J. Anderson, Adrian Arleo, Ralph Bacerra, Clayton Bailey, Susan Beiner, Jerry Berta, Martin and Judy Bibby, Triesch Voelker and Gina Bobrowski, Robin Campo, Marek Cecula, Beth Changstrom, Michael Cohen, Annette Corcoran, Philip Cornelius, David Damkoehler, Stephen Dixon, Eddie Dominguez, Jack Earl, Raymon Elozua, Ellen Fager, Fred Fenster, Ken Ferguson, Leopold Foulem, Keiko Fukazawa, John Glick, Evelyn Grant, Chris Gustin, Sergei Isupov, Karen Karnes, Les Lawrence, Leslie B Lee, Ah Leon, Michael Lucero, Richard Marquis, Dennis Meiners, Richard Millette, Steven Montgomery, Matt Nolen, Richard Notkin, Kevin O’Dwyer, Mark Pharis, David Regan, John Revelry, Amy Sabrina, Red Weldon Sandlin, Adrian Saxe, Scott Schoenherr, Yoko Sekino-Bové, Mark Shapiro, Richard Shaw, Michael Sherrill, Patrick Siler, Akio Takamori, Irvin Tepper, George Walker, Jason Walker, Patti Warashina, Kurt Weiser, and Beatrice Wood
Variations on a Theme: Teapots from RAM’s Collection
January 29 – July 9, 2017
Ah Leon
Trunk Teapot with Bent Branch No. 749, 1994
Earthenware
11 1/2 x 10 3/4 x 5 7/8 inches
Racine Art Museum, Gift of David and Jacqueline Charak
Photography: Jon Bolton
While the teapot as a functional object can be traced back about 800 years to China, the form is familiar in Western Europe and the United States. As the teapot became connected to status and luxury via trade centuries ago, Western manufacture began in earnest. Most of the earliest teapots were metal, yet within the context of contemporary craft, most are associated with ceramics. RAM’s holdings include teapots made in a variety of materials, yet those made of clay are the most numerous.
In 1999, collector Donna Moog offered RAM a gift of over 250 teapots. The impact of the Moog collection cannot be understated as it represents a large body of work by diverse artists in a range of styles. Since this gift, RAM has added over 100 teapots from other donors, thereby establishing one of the largest public collections of contemporary artist-made teapots in the United States.
Visitors were encouraged to vote for their favorite teapot in the exhibition. At the close of the show, the ten teapots with the most votes stayed on display for an extended period of time.
More About the Exhibition
Artists in the Exhibition
Daniel J. Anderson, Adrian Arleo, Ralph Bacerra, Clayton Bailey, Susan Beiner, Jerry Berta, Martin and Judy Bibby, Triesch Voelker and Gina Bobrowski, Robin Campo, Marek Cecula, Beth Changstrom, Michael Cohen, Annette Corcoran, Philip Cornelius, David Damkoehler, Stephen Dixon, Eddie Dominguez, Jack Earl, Raymon Elozua, Ellen Fager, Fred Fenster, Ken Ferguson, Leopold Foulem, Keiko Fukazawa, John Glick, Evelyn Grant, Chris Gustin, Sergei Isupov, Karen Karnes, Les Lawrence, Leslie B Lee, Ah Leon, Michael Lucero, Richard Marquis, Dennis Meiners, Richard Millette, Steven Montgomery, Matt Nolen, Richard Notkin, Kevin O’Dwyer, Mark Pharis, David Regan, John Revelry, Amy Sabrina, Red Weldon Sandlin, Adrian Saxe, Scott Schoenherr, Yoko Sekino-Bové, Mark Shapiro, Richard Shaw, Michael Sherrill, Patrick Siler, Akio Takamori, Irvin Tepper, George Walker, Jason Walker, Patti Warashina, Kurt Weiser, and Beatrice Wood
Visitor Favorites
In order of most to least number of votes received
Annette Corcoran, Pileated Woodpecker (Teapot)
Red Weldon Sandlin, Bull in a China Cabinet…A Story of Pacifitea
Ellen Fager, Kelp Poacher Teapot
Beth Changstrom, Hurricane Teapot
Jerry Berta, Mr. Teapot I Pity the Fool That Don’t But It (Teapot)
Clayton Bailey, Robot Teapot
Michael Sherrill, Queen of Hearts (Teapot)
Patti Warashina, Apple Breath (Teapot)
Kevin O’Dwyer, Rocking Teapot
Martin and Judy Bibby, Bellhop Teapot
Gallery of Work
Exhibitions at RAM are made possible by:
Platinum Partners
Anonymous
The Estate of Karen Johnson Boyd
Ron and Judith Isaacs
The Estate of Marilyn Rothschild
Windgate Foundation
Diamond Partners
David Charak
Ruffo Family Foundation
Ruth Arts Foundation
Diane Zebell
Gold Partners
Judith and David Flegel Fund
Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation
Reliance Controls Community Fund
W.T. Walker Group, Inc.
Silver Partners
Anonymous
Anonymous
Bader Philanthropies
Baird
A.C. Buhler Family
Dave’s Wine Garage
Paula and E.L. Donovitz Memorial Endowment Fund
Ben and Dawn Flegel
Tom Harty
Horizon Retail Construction, Inc.
Johnson Financial Group
Robert E. Kohler Jr. Fund
Luanne Frey and Mark Lukow
Sheri and Frank Sullivan
Wisconsin Arts Board
Bronze Partners
Sandy and Gus Antonneau
Carol Baylon
Susan Boland
Rose and Peter Christensen
Educators Credit Union
Carol Griseto
Julia Ann Oas and Don Gloo
Hitter’s Baseball
Debbie and Chuck Hoffman
Susan and Dan Horton
Gary Van Wert and Ronald Jacquart
Paula Kalke
Bill and Debbie Keland
Nancy Kurten
Susan Manalli
Norbell Foundation
O&H Danish Bakery
Rita Petretti
Rasmussen Diamonds
SC Johnson
Harold and Lois Solberg
Twin Disc
Marc J. Wollman
Amy and Robb Woulfe
Media Sponsor
Stay in Touch
The Racine Art Museum and RAM’s Wustum Museum work together to serve as a community resource, with spaces for discovery, creation, and connection. Keep up to date on everything happening at both museum campuses—and beyond—by subscribing to our email newsletter:
