Blog Entries

Tisane Tea 101

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:00:00 +0100

Tisane tea is synonymous with herbal tea. The word is a derivate of ptisanē, Greek meaning a crushed barley drink. The onus being that this type of tea does not contain extracts from the tea plant, Camellia Sinensis. It is best to be aware of what you are purchasing as tisanes can be flowers, roots, fruits, stems and seeds; [...]

Tea Party Invitations

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:00:00 +0100

Do you admire one, or more, of your teapots enough to make it a tea party theme? There is an art to making invitations, just as there is to making teapots. And, the ultimate host or hostess intentionally attempts to make his or her party the most memorable for guests; a theme is one way to do so.

Joaquin Moragues is a female artist most known for her stunning scenes of African wildlife. Yet her abilities far surpass landscapes. I find her Asian abstract drawings superior to many others. In conjunction with the often multi-palette tiled backgrounds, I especially appreciate the choice of her objects and p [...]

Crazing

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:00:00 +0100

If you are new to teapot collecting you may not be aware of the term. Crazing is apparent when the teapot's glaze has fine hairline cracks. This can occur either inside or on the outside of pots. It stems from one of two reasons.

First, the clay and the glaze were not fired in the kiln at high enough temperatures. Thus, when boiling or extremely cold water is placed in the pot it breaks down the fusion of the two fired elements, forcing tiny little [...]

flowering tea in vessels

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:00:00 +0100

"What intrigues me in making teapots is combining the parts, vessel, spout, lid and handle, into an aesthetically pleasing whole that says something beyond tea." Claudia Tarantino compares the creation of her porcelain teapots to a chef's artistry of serving and preparing an elegant or bountiful meal.

She hopes that her [...]

Dysfunctional Teapots

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 17:00:00 +0100

Why does Sara Chieco alter functional teapots? She claims it is to confront the viewer, to have he or she question the idea of hypothetical sculpture, its outward appearance and circumstance. Actually, if you research the history of teapots one of the reasons for its shape was ease of shipping and trading. Another explanation [...]

Teapots with fruit infusions

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:00:00 +0100

These crazy "blueberry blaster" and "peach married" teapots are wonderful reminders that fruit infused teas are a cool way to get our daily dose of afternoon tea but with a refreshing taste of natural sweetness during the hot summer days.

Green Tea Gongfu Way

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:00:00 +0100

Making tea using the 1,000 year old Gongfu tradition requires a series of steps to brew. This process is particularly favourable with high quality green (as shown) and scented teas. Two Yixing teapots are preferred. Heat water to near boilingRinse teapot with hot water and drainNot touching the leaves, fi [...]

lapsang souchong stories

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:00:00 +0100

There are several tales as to how this tea originated, all which lead to the fact that lapsang souchong was founded by mistake. During ancient China, soldiers marched into the town of Chong An star village deciding to make a local tea factory be their hostel. The fresh tea leaves became partially fermented during their occupancy. Once the factory workers were able to return they tried to quickly dry out the leaves using pine wood thus resulted in this smoky odiferous tea.& [...]

Outdated toy teapots

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:00:00 +0100

How many times have we thrown away game board pieces that our children have left on the floor or trashed small toys they have outgrown? Donald Clark would likely cringe at the thought. He has made a living assembling these items in a scrupulously planned patterned form on teapots. After viewing his collaged vessels there is no doubt that he envisions that all things have a purpose after its initial role.

Silversmith Randy Long created this teapot made of sterling silver, wood, marble and 18 karat gold leaf. The marble is carved and laminated, the forms fabricated with textures. Mr. Long entitled his piece "Tuscany Tea Service" because he combined the visuals of the full moon, the striped cathedral walls made of [...]

Dragon ware

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:00:00 +0100

This style of tea cup is referred to as dragon or moriage ware. Moriage originated in Japan in the 19th century but is still made today. The decoration can be created separately then attached and painted after it has been fired. The alternate process, one requiring more time, is to pipe on to the piece in layers, until the desired dimen [...]

What is Wu long tea?

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Sat, 30 May 2009 17:00:00 +0100

In the USA this expression has gained popularity by the masses because of the endorsement of the famous female talk show hostess Oprah Winfrey. Wu long tea is just another name for oolong and is not a fad weight-loss diet. Wu long has a flavour similar to green tea because of its fresh taste, yet the aroma is comparable to black blends. This is a result of the semi-fermentation. The importance of understanding the terminology is that Wu long tea has varying [...]

Royal Rabbits

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:00:00 +0100

Throughout her secluded childhood on a small island, Pat Kazi relied on fairy tales and nature for entertainment. She has never forgotten these dreamy characters. The creatures she imagined are now visible to others on her porcelain and stoneware teapots. Her fantasy sculptures are adorned with royal robes, beads, shells, fur and other embellishments found in antique shops. Her figurative pieces of dragons, fish warriors and royal rabbits are currently sought b [...]

Fiber Pots

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:00:00 +0100

This teapot is made of silk, wool and other fibers. Of course you are not able to steep tea in it; however, the tedious work to create such a masterpiece is comparable to hand sewing tea needles for blooming tea. Rachel Nicholson stores the array fibers by pigment in plastic bins in her studio with a built in wet station. This allows her to select her [...]

History of Glass Teapots

press@exoticteapot.co.uk — Sun, 24 May 2009 17:00:00 +0100

The first reference of glass appears in the days of Moses. And, in 1612 a Florentine priest, Antonio Neri, is quoted as saying: Glass is more gentle, graceful and noble than any metal and its use is more delightful, polite, and sightly than any other material at this day known to the world. His comment is applicable to glass teapots even though these were not [...]