The Exotic Teapot

Margaret Bohls, curator for “Teapots:  Function, Formal, Narrative” has written an article to ceramic artists.  The purpose was to share with them the reasons for creating that magnificent object referred to as the teapot.  She writes:

 The teapot is, arguably, the most visually and culturally loaded pottery form. Trade, fashion, social class, nationalism, and industry, have all contributed to the layers of cultural and historical meaning inherent to this particular cultural artifact. Being at the same time an aesthetic object and a utilitarian object, the teapot also carries all of the potential and all of the contradictions inherent in the field of contemporary ceramics.  

 Margaret addresses the various avenues a ceramic artist can focus on when deciding how to design their teapots.  Besides functional these include:  the aesthetic challenge, the physical relationship to the body, the historical or story-telling perspective and that of decoration.   

After reading the article and with a cup of tea in hand I realized that I was looking at my teapot collection so to gain a greater insight from the artists designing the ones displayed on my shelves.  

The Andes and Catalina Mountains are as extraordinary as the ancient civilization surrounding them.   The steep parallel chain of crisp, tinted rich brown terrain, capped with bright white snow are what influences the ceramic style of Venezuelan artist José Sierra.  His teapot and mug designs express the lines and shapes of the landscapes; his collection of glazes coincides with the mountains’ colours.  Interestingly, Sierra’s pieces are associated with that of contemporary art. 

For 35 years Cynthia Shuhy has been an acclaimed hunter and jumper at local horse shows.  Her passion for displaying skill continues at her upscale antique and gift shop where she selects each piece to show.  Cynthia’s business has been in operation for a quarter of a century.  Her attention to detail is obviously what has allowed her to exceed.  These porcelain floral teapots are a few of her pieces that demonstrate the appreciation for ostentatious presentation.

Wu Dong Jun is a Chinese ceramic artist that specializes in Yixing clay.  Unlike the traditional purple clay pots, Wu Dong uses this prime earthy matter for contemporary designs.  This teapot has been glazed with stylish brown and black colours.  The legs are exaggerated; the spout and handle sizes reduced.  It is a sleek, stylish, chic teapot; one that would catch anyone’s attention, even the traditional or vintage Yixing teapot artist.   

Being the sensible young adult that my goddaughter is, her wedding registry list contains the basic items she believes are needed to start a home.  However, one item that most couples forget to include as a must to start their lives together is the tea kettle.  Kettles provide the most basic of all needs – heat water.  The kettle’s water makes tea, coffee, hot chocolate, sauces and soups.  It can be used to sterilize water and heat baths during bad weather and emergency outages.  Plus, tea kettles make a sparsely decorated kitchen look welcome.

With the fast paced advancement in technology, it is easy for teens of today to disassociate with what was considered three decades ago quick and simple.  Making tea is no exception even though the preparation has been one of the easiest of beverages to brew for centuries.  Drinking from plastic bottles, the substitute-sugar laden brewed tea, using the lower grade of the leaves, is now considered a healthy alternative .   This is true even in the rich tea heritage nation of Japan.  Tea Master Kazuya Matsumoto is taking the time to brew tea the “old timey way” in this country’s parks so to introduce his better flavoured tea to the youth.  Perhaps we should take note and brew a cup for our adolescents.  Who knows, maybe even a civil conversation will ensue.

This UK ceramic artist has made the teapot his object of choice.  Since 1988 Ian Paul Rylatt has been making a living creating these vessels.  Ian finds the teapot simple yet complex.  His designs emulate the concept.   His Horizontal teapot, shown here, is uncomplicated with its crisp linear shape and one colour glaze.  Conversely, Ian made the lid and feet spherical, a flawless composition of intricate detailing.   

This blue and gold tetsubin is a product from Iwachu, a Japanese ironware manufacturer with over 100 years of rich history for quality craftsmanship.   Tetsubins (iron teapots) derived from larger vessels used centuries ago to warm the home on colder days and infuse the environment with humidity.  The etched detailing of the golden fish swimming in a soft blue pool of water is just one of the many examples of why the company’s teaware becomes collectors’ items.

Jean Wells is a ceramic artist that specializes in slip carving.  First she hand throws her teapot to the shape she desires.  Jean moistens another set of clay to near liquid (referred to as slip) and tints it with an earth tone colour.  When the pot feels like leather (somewhat moist) she brushes the slip on top of the teapot, allowing the second layer to harden a bit.  Jean draws a design on the slip clay then carves out the background to reveal the design.  Her slip carvings are mostly plant and animals such as this glorious fern teapot.

Annette Corcoran, born in 1930, mastered porcelain design and under-glazing before 1960.  She proceeded to create her own style thereafter, mostly focusing on avian subject matter.  Her desire for realism exudes detailed plumage of each bird teapot she has created.  Because of her specialty, Ms. Corcoran’s works are sought by collectors of teapots, birdwatchers and museums.  This Goose Teapot is one that has recently shown up at auction.  

Joe Zeller has focused his 40 year artistic career making porcelain teapots that are challenging in nature.  His teaching career has been of the same.  Even though his professorship is in one of the smaller populated states of the USA his astute abilities are the reasons he is consistently invited to teach abroad.  For years, he along with North American, European and Chinese students, gather to study in the porcelain capital of the world, Jingdezhen. There, he teaches contemporary art while the Chinese experts teach traditional ceramic art.  Zeller says the Chinese find his work odd because his pieces are only allusions to teapots, as shown here.

According to many sources, Ireland is the country with the largest tea consumption.  Along with such claims comes tradition.  For example, milk is added first to the cup, not the tea and preferably up to 1/3 of the cup with milk.  This could be because Irish tradition has it that strong teas are the number one choice for drinking.  And, these teas are always served in the morning hours.   

This teapot is just one of Bruce Noske’s astoundingly pierced designs which reflect the Victorian days of chintzes and Wedgewood but with a minimalist Oriental twist.  His pots are meticulously developed, all with similar shoulder, base, lid, unique handle and spout.  Because he has always enjoyed doodling, or sketching, patterns of leaves and animals, Bruce applies these to teapots via hand painted brushwork and slip carved decorations.

The pottery made in Tokoname City in Japan is known as Tokoname-yaki.  During the 12th and 13th centuries an estimated 3,000 kilns were built.  Today this pottery region, located on the Chita Peninsula, still has 1,200 ancient kilns in operation.  It wasn’t until the 19^th century that teapots were introduced.  By using rich red clay and artistic embellishments, tokoname teapots still remain durable, affordable and visually appealing.

Tea drinkers decorating for the holidays will especially appreciate these images this time of year.  All are vintage glass tea-ware ornaments.  If you haven’t a collection perhaps you should start; there are many wonderful antique teapot ornaments waiting for purchase on various bidding web sites, most likely admired by us tea fans.

Sabine Bruner, featured in a previous blog, has a dear friend that also is a ceramic artist.  Even though now living in different continents, the two continue to appreciate each other’s tea ware.  Linda’s pieces are simple but elegant.  She uses glazes that are satiny smooth.  She interchanges the exterior and interior of the vessels with subtle tones.  Notice the unique shape of the teapot spout and minor dimples in the cups...what a nice touch.

Glazes within the copper tone hues are the most difficult to predict and manage in pottery.  Not only does it require a particular schedule of firing in the kiln, it mandates monitoring throughout the bake.  We all too often take for granted the rich colours of red in our teapots and cups.  Realistically, it is a skill that takes years to perfect.  Daniel Dermer has practiced and obviously learned these techniques as evident with this rich ruby red teapot.

Who hasn’t heard the saying ‘a spot of tea’?  Apparently very few, at least that is in the UK and the US.  According to the World Wide Words Organization Americans use the phrase as often, if not more over the last few decades, than the Brits.  However, interpretation is not the same.  Additionally, region and social class impact its elucidation.  Generally Americans think it means a cup of tea whereas in the UK it refers to tea with food.  To further complicate the subject, the region in UK may alter whether it is afternoon tea with refreshment or an evening meal.  In spite of the discrepancies, there is none when it comes to the word ‘spot’ as the Brits are recognized worldwide for the slangy term.

Joy Imai has been a potter for 35 years.  After many years of raku firing pieces, she has returned to her original study of soda firing. This now makes the outcome of her teapots and mugs a surprise even to her.

I spray a solution of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and water into a hot kiln, and the high heat causes the solution to break down into sodium vapor and carbon dioxide.  The sodium vapor combines with elements in the clay and forms an “orange peel” textured glaze on the surface.  The vapors follow the flame circulation in the kiln and “flashing” occurs on the pots.  I like the unique way the firing process is recorded on each pot.

Shino glaze originated in the 16^th century, which ever since has been favoured by masters of tea ceremonies. It is believed shino is a variation of shiro, the Japanese word for white.  Originally artists painted under or over the white glaze with various shades of brown.  In the 1970’s, shino fire colours were introduced.  These included: flares of orange and gold; beaded surfaces, and; carbon trappings (specks of black).  Shino glaze experts now add even more pigments, such as this teapot made by Brent Johnson who specializes in Japanese folk pottery.