The Exotic Teapot

Faktura is a term associated with the Constructivists period during the Russian Revolution.  Constructivism could not be ‘art for art’s sake’; instead it had to reveal a social purpose or even a laboratory experiment.  The influence of Cubism and Futurism are present in most works of this era.  This teapot by Jacqueline Thompson pays homage to one of the leaders of Constructivism, female artist Varvara Stepanova, who later gained fame from her textile designs. 

Sharon Virtue’s earthenware ceramic teapot is the perfect ensemble for rooibos tea.  This vessel’s multiple hues of red and orange are equivalent to that of the dried herbal tea leaves from the rooibos bush only grown in South Africa.   Most of Sharon’s ceramic creations emphasize myth, magic and African culture.  Onto most of her teapots are etched symbols, including this one.  Virtue’s energy and charisma sparkles on all of her teapots and her website.

When visiting Etruscan Mardi Wood found “a pure kind of pleasure” walking with the native cattle.  For Wood, their unity puts the world in order, leaving her with a revived spirit.  Being a painter first and ceramic artist second, she sketched multiple scenes of vacche in her presence.  After returning to her studio she continues to find pleasure with these animals by drawing their images on to her thin, porcelain thrown teapots and cups.

Now that Fall is officially here I think it is a reason to buy and display this Season’s teapots, cups and saucers.  Pumpkins are indicative of Autumn as is a cup of spicy, warm herbal tea to knock off the chill.  Albeit orange or green the pumpkin accentuates the shape of a traditional teapot.

I like most tea drinkers enjoy having unique and exotic teaware for entertaining and home decor.  However, I must admit I have never considered wearing teacups as fashion accessories.  But I am not Lady Gaga who has been seen walking the streets with a teacup, saucer and spoon.  Even though I find her chosen accessory a lovely one, I would have gone with a red or black geometrically patterned teacup.   I suppose the combinations are endless!

I had never heard of the "Teapot" move until recently. I overheard a young skater boast to her father that she successfully completed the teapot glide in skating class.  This requires the ice skater to glide on one foot in a squatting position with the free leg fully extended in front of the body.  Apparently there are other phrases or word(s) referred to this maneuver such as "shoot the duck" or "pistol."  However, Brits associate it with the appearance of a teapot.  I can see the teapot, can you?

 

 The delicate purple flowers with evergreen leaves, shown here, are those of the peppermint plant.  Tea made with this herb has a refreshing aroma which also aids in digestion. However, I still do not understand where part of its name comes into play as I neither smell nor taste any pepper.   

 

 

 

 

Tea from the hibiscus, known for its showy flowers and leaves, continues to gain credibility for medicinal purposes in reducing blood pressure.  However, having grown these plants before, your blood pressure can rise just trying to prevent all of the insects from eating this plant, not to mention its preference for consistent warm temperatures in full sun. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tea from the Yerba Mate plant has reliably shown to increase metabolism, aiding in safe and effective weight loss.  However, the leaves are full and rounded; you would think each leaf would be long and lean.

 

  

Tiny van der Plaas needed a birthday card for her sister.  As she sat at her kitchen table with a cup of fruit tea, she began folding the leftover teabag envelopes.  This was the birth of teabag folding, also referred to as miniature kaleidoscope origami.  Her designs and technique have blossomed into a relaxing hobby for many.  Today, in lieu of using tea bags, special papers with a variety of patterns are available.  The possibilities of designs and usage are endless.  Using this technique to create tea party and bridal shower invitations would certainly catch the attention of recipients.

 Many components make up the spectrum of teaware.  There are teapots, tea cups, tea bowls, tea serving trays, tea draining trays, tea balls, tea infusers, tea saucers, tea spoons and tea caddies.   

The components to include vary based on the type of tea being served and the cultural setting.  Even the referenced word is often separated into two.  Oddly, the popular "tea for one set" contains four words but usually has two to three pieces.  Therefore, when asked by a novice tea drinker, what is teaware?  I always recommend using the word loosely just as long as s/he uses loose tea leaves and not bags, which in some cultures is a component of teaware.

Wuyi Mountain, one of China's best known scenic wonders, is comprised of numerous red vertical scaled sandstone hills and a green-water, winding river named Nine-Twist Stream.  No wonder it has been for 12 centuries a magnet for poets and artists.  The soil in the mountains of Wu Yi contains volcanic rocks; this is what gives wuyi tea its exotic taste.  Because of the many wild tea trees located on the peaks it is claimed that there are over 800 varieties of wuyi tea.