Corset teapot created as tribute to a teacher
July 3, 2007 
Following the death of a much-beloved college professor, former students have been discussing the inspiration she provided, which led one pupil to create a clay corset creation.
Teaching at the College of Mount St Joseph from 1969 to 1998, Betty Jane Brooker Brothers inspired such passion for the arts that she was honoured with the 2007 Faculty Appreciation Award for her work teaching ceramics, art history and art education.
Sadly, due to being hospitalised with a broken femur, the 82-year-old was unable to attend the ceremony and later died at the Jewish Hospital.
Pam Korte, an assistant professor of art at the college and one of Mrs Brooker Brothers' former students, accepted the award on her behalf.
She told the Cincinatti Post: "A lot of people get burned out in education, but she loved teaching and she loved teaching teachers. She really made you believe you could do it, even if you were scared in front of a classroom at first."
While Korte says her former teacher inspired her to attend the University of Louisville, for her thesis, she created a corset teapot, as a tribute to the ceramic clothing pieces that Mrs Brooker Brothers fashioned.
"She absolutely loved clay, and she was able to communicate that," said Korte. "There were stories in her work. It had symbolism and content and she encouraged us to do that as well."
© Adfero Ltd
