The Exotic Teapot

 Growing up Evan B. Harris relied on the acres and acres of woods and folklore books for entertainment.  His pretend playmates were conjured from books and backyard.  Using charcoal and melted wax as his mixed media, he depicted his pretend friends on anything his parents would let him use from leftover wood scraps to cardboard.   Now an adult Evan still lets his imagination run wild with his painting.  To make his work looked aged he will use sandpaper, claw the surface, scratch the dried paint and even hang his canvases outdoors to weather.  I am particularly fond of his "tea for birds."  The details of it truly reveal his wild imagination and appreciation for fairly tale pictorials.

  

The mission of STARworks Ceramics is to provide workspace for local artists and members of the community that wish to learn how to make, or perfect, pottery.  Instructors, a variety of clays, pottery wheels, kilns and workspace are offered for a minimal fee.  Such classes as the "Japanese Teapot Workshop" are open to the public. While waiting for the pots to dry, class members gather for green tea breaks.

  

This organization is not located in a large urban area.  Instead, it is nestled in the high mountains of eight rural communities that have joined together to ensure the arts are and will continue to be part of every generation's lifestyle.  

 I saw these teapots at a recent art show.  Falling snow in the darkness of night was the thought that first came to my mind.  I suppose Yoshiro Ikeda, the artist, would be pleased of my reflection as the goal of his pieces is to initiate weather conditions and dance form.  Preferring freedom, he hand builds his teapots then weaves a sense of motion using a variety glazes.   

 

  Alice DeLisle thinks some of her teapots are close to kitsch.  The clay artist has heard viewers ponder amongst themselves as to what her teapots are actually made of.  Her ability to emulate grasses, pods, earthy matter and other textures, via hand sculpting then glazing, can stimulate some confusion.  The brashness she refers to is most likely from her naming of the pots, such as "Piggy Tea, Garden Party," and "High Tea too."  Nonetheless, my favorite of DeLisle's work is the "Teapod with Blossoms" tea set.    

It is the rigorous stages of processing fresh green tea leaves that define it as dragon well.  However, it got its name in the tea growing mountains of Zhejiang when a priest told the drought ridden farmers to pray to a dragon living in the bottom of a nearby well.  Afterwards, the rain came and the province flourished. The highest quality well-tea is: slick to the touch, light green, polished looking and emits a sweet fragrance.  I can imagine a green and shiny dragon but must admit I have never considered a sugary odiferous one. 

 

    There are very few activities in today's busy world that can be defined as ‘simple.'  However, tea is still one of them.  Really, all that is required is tea, warm water, a drinking vessel and a few minutes.  Obviously others around the globe believe the same; when I searched on the World Wide Web for "simple pleasures of tea" I came up with 701,000 links in 67 seconds.   I logged off my computer, poured myself a cup of tea and enjoyed every peaceful, quiet moment my cup had to offer.

If you admire young Queen Victoria vintage art you will certainly appreciate this teapot design by Maureen Berry.   The image is based on the painting by Herbert Luther Smith, circa 1837-1839.  Bairstow Manor Pottery in Staffordshire considered every meticulous detail of the 500 collectables. 

 Each pot is hand sculpted, painted and inlaid with 22 carat gold.  The back of the teapot is as fine as the front, especially if you favour Pomeranians.   

Shelley Weinstein's teapot is obviously a tribute to René François Ghislain Magritte, a Belgian surrealist artist (1898-1967).   Magritte is known for juxtaposing or using objects in different settings outside of its familiar context.  In his famous painting "the pipe," which certainly depicts one, he notes that in fact it is not a pipe just try filling it with tobacco.  Weinstein's "Magritte Teapot" is of the same.  It is not a teapot just try filling it with tea.  

 

Many of us know the benefits reaped from drinking tea.  But, could you turn those thoughts into a catchy tune and music video?  Elizabeth Hill and David Hill have done just that.  Their "Tea for Me" and "Teacup Tango" songs are two entries for the Calm-A-Sutra scholarship video competition.  The requirement: to provide tea facts and health benefits.  The Hill's costumes, lyrics and whimsical props captured me to the point that I found myself singing along. 

Tea for me,
Make it tea for me.
Black white green or oolong,
I cant survive for too long...

 Click on the song titles above to view their videos.                   

...I was trying to throw these perfect, precise pots. One day I got really frustrated with what I was turning out and threw one of my teapots on the floor. I liked the way it distorted and went out of shape. It gave it so much character. Steven Benezue.

 

 He calls his pieces "Dysfunctional Ware."  Benezue displays teapots such as these and works of other artists at the North Lake College Gallery where he serves as the Director and is an Adjunct Faculty member.  Even he admits his pots are abstract and absurd!

In every piece of Tinka Jordy's pottery and sculptures are images of animals or nature, even if it not be the main subject.  Jordy believes:  ‘Part of the reason we are drawn to animals is that it draws that connection to the human psyche.'  After 15 years of practicing pottery, the artist claims that ‘animals and nature just started coming off the pots.'  Now, she mainly produces indoor/outdoor sculptures of humans in different poses with nature touching each of them; however, I find that these two green streaked clay toad teapots connect me to nature. 

 

 

   These ingenious teapot and cup fountains are created by Deanna.  The water continuously flows from the teapot into the cup from a hidden, silent electric pump. 

She also tenders fountains operating on batteries.  Additionally, Deanna makes fountains using customers' personally selected teapots and cups. 

These would be ideal for tea party centerpieces or home displays year-round. 

  

While hiking the trails in southwest U.S.A., Patrick Shia Crabb became fascinated with the many broken pottery shards left behind from Native American Indians over a century ago.  This is why he makes and fires clay pieces of assorted contemporary colours then intentionally breaks the pieces and reassembles the shards with glue into plates and teapots.  You will notice the pot's spout is especially elongated; this is due to his appreciation of the ancient Persian water pitchers, similar in form. 

Just as important as the quality of tea is the water used to make it.  Artesian water is the purest.  It is sealed underground by a layer of ice, sand or volcanic rock.  The water does not come into contact with pollution.  This type of water can have no additives but each brand may have a different taste depending upon the aquifer it came from. 

 

While attending the Universidad de las Americas in Pueblo, Mexico, Kathy Triplett gained an appreciation for Aztec Indian geometric shapes.  She then traveled to Spain where she studied the works of Gaudi and organic forms in the simplest state.  From there, she went to Africa, noticing the colours and shapes of mud mosques.  Her ceramic forms, such as these teapots, are geometric offshoots of seeds, insects or animals; the earthy hues are selected to accentuate the designs.  Besides a successful potter, she is the author of: 500 Teapots, Handbuilt Ceramics and Handbuilt Tableware.