Kelsey Schissel
North Carolina

White Stoneware, Cone 6 Oxidation, 22k Gold Fused on 3rd Firing
Functional
10'"w x 5.25"d x 6"h

About the Teapot
This teapot is specifically designed for loose-leaf teas. When making the teapot, I use a small tool to push the side of the teapot in, creating a "bubble" on the inside. I then create holes in the bubble. This bubble acts as a tea strainer catching the leaves and allowing the tea to pour out. The placement and shape of the bubble is important because if it's too flat, too low, or too high, it will not allow the tea to pour easily. This is the ultimate in form and function, and I derive great pleasure and pride in making teapots such as this one.
This teapot has been glazed in Breanna's blue with bright sky-blue accents at the top and inside. 22k Gold has been applied to the finial, rim, along the handle, and inside the lid. I want the person using this teapot to feel like royalty. This teapot's decoration is inspired by living in Asheville, North Carolina, and the beautiful Art Deco architecture found here. The stamp pattern is called Tiffany, reminiscent of a Tiffany chandelier.

About Kelsey
I grew up the daughter of a maker. My father, Lyle Wheeler, is a master chairmaker and blacksmith. Because of this unique upbringing, I learned from an early age that I could craft my life. I earned a BFA in ceramics from UNC-Asheville, set up my studio, and thus began Plays in Mud Pottery.
My husband Pete and I live in Asheville, NC. On the weekends we go for hikes. Hiking in the mountains around Asheville is beautiful, and most of my inspiration for creating art comes from these hikes. I look at how the shadows play and ripple across the path or on the water's surface. I spend time looking at and absorbing the environment around me. I let nature influence the forms I make, and the architecture of Asheville influences the patterns I create.

*Teapots that are sold must remain on display in the gallery as part of the exhibit until the show closes on September 10, 2020.  After the show closes, teapots will be carefully packed and shipped by September 26 or available for pick-up at the gallery.