Cory McCrory
Illinois

Stoneware paperclay,  underglaze, glaze, kanthal wire, paper, and colored pencil
Non-functional
8"w x 3.75"l x 8.25"h

About the Teapot
Inspired by current events, folklore, and bunnies in my flower pot.

About the Artist
I have been working in clay for more than thirty years in northern Illinois. I love making teapots. All the parts and engineering really excite me, as does the puzzle of how to put it together and in what order. I am inspired by everything around me. I am a people watcher and like to capture moments in life, whether quiet or exciting. I pay attention to detail while keeping things casual.

Artist Statement
Why I make house Tpots
The house. the home, the shelter, the container, the gallery. the safe place. the place you want to escape. the place of love. the place of security. the place of loneliness. the place of terror. 
All of these can be true for someone. I have a small obsession with houses. buildings. homes. each house an individual. reflecting who resides. It could be only temporary. It could be for generations. Do we bend to the house? or does the house bend to us? the energy. the ghosts. the humans and the animals. the plants. or lack of. Do we let light in or block it out? Are the residents happy? are they sad? are they disillusioned? are they being hurt? Are they ok?
The majority of humans in this world live in a house. each one holding the contents of those who lived there. usually they tell us about the residents. sometimes not so much. There are hoarders and minimalists. Sometimes the inside spills out to the outside. Sometimes they have no relation. A seemingly rough exterior can open to a beautiful interior. a beautiful exterior can house a hell.
Behind closed doors. unless invited in, by invitation or reported crime, it remains a place of privacy. I remember seeing children that on the first visit inside my home, have a very curious spirit and scan the home for all it has. They want in to all closed areas. upstairs. They want upstairs. what is back here? What is behind this door? I have never forgotten this as I grew. I understand the need to know. When I walk the sidewalks at night I glance at the homes hoping to see a curtain open. hoping to see it just a little bit. how do we act when we don't know someone is watching? how do we act with the people we live with? are we different than when we are outside?
Some homes are scary. some just look that way. some have rumors. Some have stories or lore.
Many homes have accidental altars. the things we collect. the way we arrange them. the way we display. what becomes important and what gets exiled. What do we value and why? most hold memories. some are there for appearance only. others hold purpose. Each item alone or together holds energy. we fill our space with energy. good. happy. sad. Sometimes items in the home cause chaos. 
I dream of houses I have lived in. I find halls and doors I have never noticed before. large garage where there was none before. second kitchens. secret entrances. extra bedrooms. strange people. Sometimes I dream of houses I have not been to. 

*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.