Meryl Ruth
Maine

Fiber
Non-functional
16.5"w x 4"l x 14"h

About the Teapot
This teapot fuses the restrained domesticity of the traditional teapot with the depth, sparkle, and chaos of the woods. Embroidered leaves, colored threads, Angelina fibers, and foil confetti invite a lingering look into and through the surface of the teapot. A needle-felted owl rests in the glen.
Night Owl Tea re-imagines the domestic teapot as a vessel that defies the confines of the kitchen ushering in the wonder, mystery, and complexity of the woods and wilds. Inspired by the natural world and evoking the owl as observer and guardian, the piece invites a sense of mutual, reflective contemplation.
The teapot is constructed from many individually machine-embroidered fiber “leaves,” each created by layering threads, metallic foil confetti, and Angelina fibers between water-soluble fabric. Once embroidered, the backing is dissolved; what remains are freestanding leaves, sculpted over temporary molds and then removed. These components are assembled into a hollow structure using fabric sculpting medium.
The surface shimmers and shifts with changing light, suggesting movement and fragility that belie its structural integrity. A needle felted owl, with glass eyes and a paper clay beak, crowns the form, merging sculpture, embroidery, and felting.
Through this process, I explore fiber’s capacity to transcend its expected softness, becoming both structure and surface. Night Owl Tea reflects my ongoing interest in pushing fiber beyond traditional boundaries – transforming it into a medium of invention, depth, and expressive form.

About the Artist
Meryl Ruth has gained international recognition for creating high-quality, intricately detailed, imaginative ceramic and fiber art. She is most known for her ceramic and fiber teapots, sometimes combining these two media in her award-winning work.
Her works have been displayed widely in museums, invitational and competitive juried exhibitions, and gallery collections. They are sought after for purchase by focused collectors in the art world from close to her home base in Maine to faraway places like Hong Kong, England, Germany, and Australia. She has created an extensive personal oeuvre of ceramic and fiber artworks and achieved academic stature as a teacher and mentor for novice and advanced artists.
Meryl has a beautiful studio in southern Maine situated on a small lake. She is known for her broad array of techniques, blended for harmony and contrast, to create unique and expressive fine art crafts.
When Meryl is not in her studio, she spends time with her children and grandchildren, doing yoga, kayaking on the lake, and cultivating orchids. She has two small Chihuahuas, one of whom is a certified therapy dog and accompanies Meryl to hospice where she has volunteered weekly for the past seven years.

*Teapots that are purchased will remain on display in the gallery for the duration of the exhibition, through September 14, 2026.
After the show closes, teapots will be carefully packed and shipped by September 28, or they may be picked up at the gallery.

National Teapot Show XIII

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Meryl Ruth - Night Owl Tea