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    Ceramic art

    Texas Teapot Tournament celebrates the joy of clay

    Barbara Kuntz
    Jan 13, 2012 | 3:46 pm
    • Meryl Ruth, Frenchie's Tea Tote, A Ceramic Teapot, clay with hardware accents,$800
    • Karen Cruce, left, and Janis Ross
      Photo by Barbara Kuntz
    • Todd Burns, Untitled, clay body with handle of hand-formed copper and steel,$600
    • Jack Rotar, Friends from Another World teapot, clay, $475
    • Kim Millspaugh, Hedgehog, clay, $250
    • Tiffany Moroney, Coral, clay, $450
    • Jack Rotar, Friends from Another World cups, clay
    • Matthew Quinn, Basket Handle Teapot, clay, $325
    • Sigrid Zahner, The Daily Pour, clay
    • Eileen Braun, Soft Serve Teapot, clay, $550
    • Nick DeVries, Satin & Ash Textured Teapot, clay, $185
    • Jose Sierra , La Kapotera, clay, $660
    • Martin Meisel, Teapot with Plum Handle, $700
    • Mike Head, Tea for One, clay, $100
    • 18 Hands Gallery on 19th Street in the Heights
      Photo by Barbara Kuntz

    The joy of cooking may have just met its match. Yes, folks, and it’s the joy of clay. You’ll likely walk away whistling that happy little song, “I’m a little teapot, short and stout,” after attending the Fifth International Texas Teapot Tournament presented by 18 Hands Gallery and the Clay Arts Museum and Educational Organization (CAMEO).

     

      “Through the years, a pot had to have a spout, a lid and a handle,” Ross notes of the qualities ceramic art judges look for in a piece. “Now, creativity is definitely a must. Some judges won’t even consider a pot as a winner without creativity.” 

    “This is is by far the best show yet," says the organization's founder Janis Ross. "Not judging by the number of entries, but by the quality of the work. It’s absolutely outstanding.”

    The celebration of the ceramic arts and artists kicks off with a reception 6-9 p.m. Saturday at the gallery, 249 W. 19th St. in the Heights, and runs through Jan. 29. Opening weekend, visitors will have the opportunity to vote for the 2012 People’s Choice Award.

    The tournament had been held at the Houston Potters Guild until last December, when the group disbanded. CAMEO wasn’t able to take on the mortgage, and unfortunately, was forced to sell the house.

    “So we stepped in and said, ‘Let’s have it here,’” Karen Cruce, founding member of 18 Hands Gallery, says. “And it’s been our pleasure.”

    Cruce and 18 Hands Gallery’s two other owners, Betsy Evans and Katy McKinn, have entries unpacked, catalogued and displayed beautifully in the gallery’s exhibition space. The functional and sculptural teapots traveled to the Heights from England to Florida to Maine to California and, of course, across Texas.

    “You really don’t know what you’ll get with a tournament, rather than an invitational," Cruce comments. “With tournaments, you just send out a call for entries with size restrictions, deadlines. All teapots had to be made within the last two years and made of 65 percent clay.

    “This was the first entry we received,” she continues, holding a small, red gasoline can-shaped piece, casting its perfectly executed glaze and rivet detailing as a slightly rusting metal surface. “With this, we knew we were in for a good show.”

    The 70-plus works are ready for judging before the reception, at which the winners are to be announced. An outstanding tournament participant receives a major purchase prize of $1,000, and one deserving entry is crowned with the Memorial Award, given this year in honor of Paul Soldner, the late revered ceramic artist. The winning submission earns the distinction of joining CAMEO’s permanent collection. Cindi Strauss, curator of modern and contemporary decorative arts and design at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, is a juror.

    “Through the years, a pot had to have a spout, a lid and a handle,” Ross notes of the qualities ceramic art judges look for in a piece. “Now, creativity is definitely a must. Some judges won’t even consider a pot as a winner without creativity.”

    In additional to creativity and the three basic elements, judges also examine ceramic teapots for proportion and quality of any attachments to the pot, the feel of the handle in your hand, the thickness and uniformity of walls and, if a functional teapot, its pouring ability.

    “The creation of a teapot is absolutely the top of a potter’s art,” Cruce says. “A teapot calls for every possible skill a potter should know.”

    Perusing the teapots in the gallery, a small adorable hedgehog-shaped teapot catches the eye, as does an entire tea service for two, complete with pot, cups, saucers, stir sticks and tray, all of hand-sculpted clay perfectly replicating white, sun-bleached coral with artistically placed barnacles to boot.

    A pot and matching cups in neon-vibrant orange, green and pink glazes sprout legs for balanced standing. And round, solid-color objects hide but include the basic elements as “inside-out” teapots. Sculptural and functional, 50-50. Thrown and hand-sculpted and a combination of the two.

    Both Ross and Cruce hope guests take home a valuable experience after viewing these works of art: As clay artists, inspiration, and as the general public, a realization that today’s teapots are not your grandmother’s serveware.

    “Humanity has been given the gift of clay,” says Ross. “Every culture and civilization has used clay. It’s a gift, and we should use a gift, shouldn’t we?

    "We at CAMEO like to say, ‘We want all to know the joy of clay.’”

     18 Hands Gallery offers monthly exhibitions and feature shows by well-known and emerging ceramic artists, as well as ceramic artists' lectures and workshops. CAMEO hosts the International Texas Teapot Tournament and Emerging Artists, the latter a show of work by Texas college and universty ceramics professors. The event is set this year for July 21 at 18 Hands Gallery.

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    the Picassos are real

    Star NYC designer dishes on Texas ranch-inspired Memorial restaurant

    Emily Cotton
    Jul 11, 2025 | 1:00 pm
    Latuli restaurant interior
    Photo by Frank Frances
    A caribou over the fireplace and 11-foot palm trees mix ranch and coastal styles.

    When Houston rancher and restaurateur Allison Knight first plucked interior designer Alfredo Paredes from an Elle Decor list of top designers, she was looking to overhaul a few “cabinlike structures” on her family’s Colorado ranch — which he executed to perfection. Now, Parades, a 33-year veteran of Ralph Lauren, including roles as senior vice president and chief creative officer, has put his stamp on Houston. Latuli, the cozy new Gulf Coast and Texas-game-heavy restaurant by Knight and chef Bryan Caswell shares its sophisticated-casual aesthetic with other Paredes-designed projects like the Polo Club in NYC and Ralph’s in Paris.

    Taking their cue from the lack of elevated-but-approachable dining options in the Memorial area, friends and business partners Knight and Caswell chose Hedwig Village as the ideal location to debut a restaurant that offers a little something for everyone — from art enthusiasts to kids.

    “It’s very comfortable. This is supposed to feel like an extension of somebody’s home,” Knight tells CultureMap. “It’s in the neighborhood. I wanted to create this unique space and gathering place. We want people to come multiple times a week.”

    An extension of someone’s home it certainly is — Knight’s, to be exact. Most of the eclectic art collections and sprinklings of taxidermy throughout the restaurant found their way into Latuli’s many spaces via Knight’s Memorial area home, some even pulled from the attic. Original watercolors by John P. Cowan, the founding father of sporting art and Texas wildlife conservation, intermingle with works by Kate Boxer, Fritz Scholder, Paul Meyer, and even Pablo Picasso.

    “People come in and ask immediately about the Picassos, even though they are just signed lithographs,” Knight says with a chuckle. Picasso aside, the larger-than-life, textural portrait of a Native American man by Austin-based artist Paul Meyer is most likely to win MVP when it comes to Instagram moments.

    The interior color palette of blue, ivory, and cognac lends itself to a myriad of styles, all which can lean either coastal or ranch, depending on the space. The soaring wood beamed ceilings and enormous caribou head over the functional fireplace in the main dining room play juxtaposition to the tropical grasscloth wallpaper by Fine & Dandy and pair of 11’ palm trees, yet their coexistence is harmonious—a quality that carries itself throughout the design.

    Latuli is comprised of five separate, but cohesive dining spaces — a covered outdoor patio, a main dining room, an intimate, secondary dining room, and bar/lounge occupy the ground floor, while a private lounge and event space is situated on the second. Knight and Paredes took advantage of Houston’s proximity to Round Top to source antique vases, pots, and the large antique bar and artworks found upstairs. Inspired by her ranches in Colorado and Texas, but wanting to incorporate coastal features as well, Knight finds it interesting to see how the design reads to guests.

    “It feels familiar to them, and they can relate to it in some way. Some people say it reminds them of a Texas ranch, some people say Santa Barbara, some people said Palm Springs, somebody said South America. It’s just really interesting to hear what everybody sort of focuses on and connects to,” says Knight.

    While the design inspiration may be pleasantly ambiguous, the execution was decidedly not. Designs by Paredes were all carried out by local makers and artisans. The extensive millwork and joinery found throughout the restaurant, including the paneling, flooring, ceiling beams, and inset white oak wait stations are all creations by Doro’s Unique Flooring. The glimmering and impossibly smooth plaster work is by QTS, and the very Ralph Lauren-esque cognac-colored banquettes were fabricated and upholstered by Martin Irazoqui of Picchios in Cypress.

    Paredes designed the dining chairs, but they were crafted in Houston, along with the tables, by Agile Interiors. The intricate textile-clad backs of the dining chairs have been a fan favorite.

    “The fabric features a series of horizontal stripes incorporating geometric and tribal motifs in a rich palette of blues and grays. The intricate pattern evokes handwoven and artisanal aesthetics,” Parades explains.

    Taking a step away from the blue, ivory, and cognac color palette of the restaurant, the glossy, emerald green tiled bathrooms are something to behold. Light from the bamboo Ralph Lauren sconces dances along the high gloss tile work, illuminating the softer features of the marble countertops and classic, unlaquered brass Waterworks fixtures. The tiles were sourced from local hidden gem Pyramid Imports.

    The intention for Latuli being that it’s a place that serves the local community, Knight and Caswell wanted to make sure there is a comfortable space for everyone. There is a somewhat sceney vibe to the main dining room, an always 21+ only bar that offers both bar and table seating for those who want to catch up with friends or take in a game, and an intimate dining room for those looking for a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. The latter of which has proven quite popular: “We have those tables booked every single night, which was a surprise to me,” says Knight.

    The popularity of the private dining space also lends itself to its moodier aesthetic. A lowered ceiling and dark blue walls provide the perfect atmosphere for groups who like to settle in and stay awhile. The walls in the room have a depth to them that is difficult to pinpoint. That’s because its textured finish isn’t a paint application — it’s actually a waxed canvas fabric from Lord Fabrik.

    “This material was originally developed for sailors and fishermen in the UK and later used in American field gear for workers,” says Paredes. “The materiality of the walls in this room pull both from coastal workers and American design.” Given that the pendants throughout this space are fishing baskets, the choice of wall covering is nothing short of genius.

    The thoughtfully covered patio plays multiple roles. Share a meal, have wine by the outdoor fireplace, or allow the kids to romp during pre-and-post-dinner lulls in the enclosed green space. While not exactly a “play area,” Knight knew she wanted a space for kids to be kids.

    “I did want to give the kids some breathing room, I knew we wanted a green space,” says Knight. “Families are coming in and they are using it exactly how I thought they would. They come in, they eat, the kids go out there, and mom and dad get a chance to actually visit and enjoy themselves.”

    While the interior spaces look primarily to Texas, the patio is more international. Guests dining al fresco are seated beneath a sea of pendant lights in a plethora of shapes and sizes, all in cohesive shades of ivory.

    “The pendants are made in Mexico but it draws inspiration from Mediterranean designs — more specifically the lattice part is Moroccan inspired,” says Paredes. “The intent was to evoke a mediterranean mood that complements the architecture of the building.”

    Knight looks forward to the cooler months ahead so that guests can appreciate the indoor and outdoor fireplaces. And you know what? So do we.

    Latuli restaurant interior
      

    Photo by Frank Frances

    A caribou over the fireplace and 11-foot palm trees mix ranch and coastal styles.

    alfredo paredeslatulirestaurant design
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