
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 Sponsors
Judith and David Flegel Fund
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Ron and Judith Isaacs
Nicholas and Nancy Kurten
Windgate Foundation
Diamond Sponsors
Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation
Ruffo Family Foundation
Gold Sponsors
David Charak
Silver Sponsors
A.C. Buhler Family
Baird
Lucy G. Feller
Ben and Dawn Flegel
Annette Hirsh Family
J. Jeffers & Co.
Dorothy MacVicar
Bronze Sponsors
Anonymous
Susan Boland
Virginia Buhler
Butcher & Barrel/Amos Los Tacos
Educators Credit Union
Express Employment Professionals
Get Behind the Arts Studio Tour
William A. Guenther
Tom and Sharon Harty
Tony and Andrea Hauser
David and Judy Hecker
Bradley Lynch
Carlotta Miller
Larry and Barbara Newman
The Norbell Foundation
The Prairie School
Georgiana Treivush
Twin Disc, Inc.
Deb and Will Walker