• This is a hand-built stoneware teapot in the shape of a pillbox purse from which emerges the carved head of a female Parson Jack Russell puppy adorned with a pillbox hat.
• The puppy's head is sculpted. The body of the purse is fashioned from clay slabs modeled on tagboard templates. The handles are made of extruded clay. The spout is Jackie's snout. The lid is the purse clasp located on the rear cover.
• Construction sequence:
      Initially fired to cone 06.
      Underglazed body, puppy's face, hat and interior of the teapot.
      Clear glaze applied to faux metal trim.
      Refiring to cone 5/6.
      Clear glazes again applied to trim.
      Third firing to cone 5/6.
      Platinum luster glaze to faux metal trim.
      Fourth firing to cone 018.
      Cold finishes applied and red mesh veil attached.
• Exhibited at Form and Grace and Whimsy, Small Group Show, Seen Gallery, Decatur, GA. Displayed at Sherwood Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA. Featured at Inspired Hands IV Show, University of Southern Maine Atrium Gallery, Lewiston, ME.
• Size: 10.25" x 6.75" x 6.0".
• Date: 2008.
• Available for purchase: Price $950.

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     ENLARGED VIEWS

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CREATIVE PROCESS   

• This piece is a further evolutionary advancement on an earlier vessel, Jack in the Box, wih considerable sophistication of concept, image, detail, color and construction.
• This is a hand-built stoneware teapot in the shape of a pillbox purse from which emerges the carved head of a female Parson Jack Russell puppy.
• Coloration is intended to be completely black and white, except for the contrasting red pillbox hat and silver trim for the hardware components of the pillbox purse. 
• After I sketched the design of the piece, clay slabs were rolled out by means of a rolling pin on a wedging board, as shown here. Tagboard templates were then cut to size and used to fashion the pattern of the clay slabs. They were then joined to build the body of the ceramic bag.

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• Clay slabs are rolled out by means of a rolling pin on a wedging board. Tagboard templates are cut to size and used to fashion the pattern of the clay slabs. The slabs are joined to build the body of the ceramic handbag.
• Press mold knurls are added to the sides of the vessel.
• Hinged covers made of clay slabs are attached to the pillbox body of the work.

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• The two lids are placed on the body of the piece. They are left ajar to accommodate the figure of the puppy.
• The planned coloration design is anticipated to make Jackie a black and white Jack Russell.
• She will emerge from a black and white pillbox purse decorated in a checkerboard pattern.
• Embellishments will include a red pillbox hat decorated with a red mesh veil.

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• Meryl first cuts the crude clay beginnings of Jackie's head in two segments.
• Then she determines how to hollow out the two halves, and proceeds to do so.
• The two parts are joined together by score and slip method to formthe hollowed-out head.
• The puppy's head is then inserted into its place upon the pillbox vessel.

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• Meryl applies sculptural details to the puppy's head.

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• The handle is formed and attached to the pillbox in a sequence of steps. Implements to create the handle include an extruder, two types of die (round metal plate attachments) and tagboard pattern template pieces.
• Meryl dries the handle with a hot air gun, taking special care to dry  it just enough so it can be safely attached to the pillbox. She does not allow it to get too dry to ensure it can be safely manipulated without damage from cracking. If too wet, it risks collapse when attached to the vessel.
• Meryl next tweaks the handle and attaches it to the teapot.
• Still to come are the lid and Jackie's pillbox hat.

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• A pillbox hat is designed and created for Jackie to wear. It is applied to the sculptured head of the puppy, as shown here.
• The lid in the rear does double duty as the purse's clasp.
• Carving the fur at the back of the puppy's head concludes the sculpting phase.
• Following a thorough drying period, the piece is ready for its first firing.
• After firing at cone 06, a mesh veil will embellish the puppy's hat.

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• After its first firing, coloration is applied.
• Meryl paints underglazes to the pillbox purse of this piece in a checkerboard pattern.
• She also gives the Jack Russell puppy its distinctive black and white markings.

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• Additional coloration is applied with underglazes to complete the black and white checkerboard design of the pillbox purse.
• White faux silk lining exposed from within the purse is whimsically decorated in large black polka dots.
• The white puppy's black facial markings are enhanced.
• Red glaze is applied to the pillbox hat as well.
• Clear gloss glaze is applied to the faux metal trimming.
• The piece nears the stage at which it is ready for its refiring, this time at cone 5/6.

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• Final underglazing involves adding pink around the puppy's nose and paws.
• Clear gloss glaze is again applied to all the faux metal trim and the teapot's handle.
• These areas are also finished with platinum luster glaze.
• At this point, the piece is fired for the third time, to cone 018.

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• After the last firing, cold finishes are applied.
• Acrylic paints embellish the poika-dotted areas to impart a tissue-paper, silken appearance to the faux silk material within the purse. This involves the use of special iridescent cold finish.
• A red mesh fabric is added to provide a veil for the pillbox hat, concluding the piece.

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DETAILED VIEWS * 

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