Wilshire Center

Anne Kraus’s whiteware teapots and cups are sweet treats Combining the cozy charm of children’s book illustration and quizzical narrative. They recount adventures of a modern girl named Delphine who encounters various mystic or adoring male figures from other eras. It’s all rather precious, but the New Jersey-based ceramicist has chosen a medium and a style that lets her get away with a dreamily silly tale.

James Lawton’s raku-fired earthenware combines askew pitcher and dish shapes with casual or unexpected images of objects--a coat tossed down, a cup spilling liquid, the underside of a bench, an upside-down Corinthian column lounging on its side. The vessels’ rich coloration, striking yet graceful deviations from normal shape and witty imagery give them an instant pedigree. (Garth Clark Gallery, 170 S. La Brea Ave., to May 4.)