Ann Ruel
Florida

Wheel-thrown porcelain with hand-drawn and painted underglaze images. Bisque-fired to cone 04.  Strategically glazed and fired to cone 5 with an 8-minute hold.
Functional
4.25"w x 7.25"l x 7.25"h

About the Teapot
Hummingbirds are my favorite birds to see among the flowers, as they were also my mother’s and grandmother’s favorite birds.  Many cultures believe that they are messengers from the spirit world, reminding us that a deceased loved one is close by.

About the Artist
I took my first pottery class almost 20 years ago at the University of Texas at Tyler, and from that moment on, I was hooked on clay. Not long after, I started Little Street Pottery. Over the years, I’ve taught pottery classes and workshops for the City of Norfolk, VA, as well as a weekend workshop for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. My work has been featured in numerous articles in Pottery Making Illustrated, and I’ve been accepted into national exhibitions, including the prestigious Strictly Functional Pottery National in Pennsylvania. My pottery has found homes all over the world.

Artist Statement
Nature-inspired themes on my functional pottery have been my obsession since I started doing pottery. I am proud to be following in the footsteps of my mother and grandmother, both of whom loved to grow flowers and care for the birds. They exposed me to their love of nature, and painting these on my pottery is my way of highlighting the importance of preserving nature and passing on my own family legacy. 
Today, my husband Jim and I run a pottery tutorial YouTube channel—Little Street Pottery—which is approaching 100,000 subscribers.

*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.