The Exotic Teapot

This colourful teapot does not consist of colourful broken chips of glass pieced together like a mosaic piece.  Instead it is the masterpiece of glassmaker Dave Fetty from Fenton Art Glass Company.  Mr.  Fetty began his career at the gallery in 1965, perfecting his techniques through retirement age in 1998.  His talent and skills are evident in this splendid teapot.   Now he continues to teach young artists the mastery of glass making.

I am not sure how Charles Krafft selects the characters depicted on his teapot heads but he has chosen a unique group of individuals to replicate.  Kim Jong IL, Charles Manson and Aleister Crowley are a few.  Each porcelain ceramic head is hand crafted by Krafft who admits he specializes in the evil or disgraced icons.  His promotional literature claims that he crafts the sculpted, fully functional teapots from a dark and gloomy basement.

Tomasz Bobrzynski claims he is a child of digital age.  It is apparent after viewing his amazing photographs.  However, Tomasz does not just have technical skills he has the artistic ability to select subjects that are awe inspiring without manipulation.  Then using his proficiency and photographic experimentation he magnifies or suspends the action associated with the matter.  This is what the makes the visual image so fascinating.       

Fleur Schell from Fremantle, Western Australia has been a porcelain ceramic artist since adulthood.  She has relished in the daily ritual of pouring from a handmade teapot and drinking from a thrown and altered cup.  But it wasn’t until her daughter Heidi was born that she began creating teapots that depicted imaginary playmates and tales.  “Like a page from a children's book the gesture between a little girl and her dog atop a teapot encourages us to reflect apon innocent childlike experiences.”  This is what inspired her to make a children’s book entitled “The Excellent Adventures of Heidi and Kilbey.”   

Afternoon tea is an excellent time to relax, allowing the mind to travel to faraway places.  The “Wish travel” teapot was obviously designed for this reason.  The globes on the front and back of the pot indicate which part of the world is depicted.  And, the airplane is strategically placed near the handle to transfer the viewer from one side of the world to the other.  The teapot even displays foods known to the region shown. 

This contemporary white teapot was designed by Joaquim Bastos, an Industrial Design student at Escola Superior de Artes e Design in Caldas da Rainha (Portugal).   Its circular, sleek shape in basic white constitutes an unobtrusive but modern elegance.  The shiny steel stand magnifies the teapot’s globular form.   Serving white tea, pouring into white teacups or bowls would certainly harmonize and enhance the décor this teapot was designed for.

This stunning teapot by Davina Romansky is the winner of The 2009 Saul Bell Award in the hollowware category.   This category must use either silver or gold that is spun, drawn, raised and or forged.  Decorative casts or components are permissible.   This prestigious award has challenged silversmiths and jewelry designers around the world to submit innovative pieces for near a decade.  Metalsmith artists believe the teapot is the most challenging of pieces to create and relish in the accomplishment once mastered.  This one is certainly a masterpiece.

With the Winter Olympics in action and this year’s extreme frigid temperatures, a cup of hot tea must be a beverage of choice.  These icy teapots are not the vessel for steeping such but certainly do reflect current inclement weather conditions.  One pot was sculpted using ice as the chosen media; the other merely collected and captured snow then melted to ice as conditions permitted.  Nonetheless, both pay homage to this wonderful vessel so often used throughout the season.

Steampunk refers to the combination of sci-fi and exploratory fiction but… with fantasy undertones.  Additionally, this style focuses on the Victorian English era only as it relates to steam power.  These teapots, made by Michael Morarity are of this genre; it has a temperature gauge, spout cover, release key and percolation window.  Tea is placed in the top hatch; when the temperature is high, the release key that controls an internal seal is manually pulled then hot water percolates through.  This rotates the key as it percolates.

The ringing of the New Year in China began February 14^th.  It is the tiger’s year.  The tiger zodiac is associated with adventurous, suspicious, sensitive, emotional and risk taking.   Lynn Chase designs jungle-type dinnerware and vessels that features the tiger in vivid colours with multi-dimensional patterns.  What makes this teapot celebratory is that she puts the tiger atop the other jungle plants and birds in which the cat resides.

If fun, bright, whimsical, imaginative and unique are attributes that you appreciate then you will love this All Heart Teapot by JoAnne Bedient.  This skilled ceramic artist hand builds pop culture like pieces then reverts to traditional Japanese raku firing for the finishing touch.  The smoke infuses the clay and glazes, resulting in surprising shimmers, noticeable crackles and dazzling colours.  JoAnne finds joy in this process which she calls “continual experimentation.”     

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.

In her early 20’s Tonya Nöckler-Golding was seriously injured in an automobile accident.  Throughout the years of pain during recovery she found peace when painting ceramics.  Tonya went on to practice law yet still kept paining closest to her heart.  Now she can be found full time in her home studio on Table Mountain in Cape Town painting her women teapots which are crafted by African ceramic artisans.  She believes one negative thought during the process and the magic of her pot is gone; thus, she listens to music to infuse the vessel with happy thoughts.

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.

Tired of the appearance of an old teapot?  Or, see a new one that you think needs a touch of embellishment to match décor or personality.  I was impressed by contemporary folk artist Sandy Mastroni’s idea for refurbishing a teapot.  She added more clay to an old pot then pressed shells and buttons in the newer clay.  What’s more, Sandy took the time to sculpt and hand-paint a female’s head for the teapot lid. 

The origin of this adorable crocheted tea set is unknown.  However, those with stitching skills are sure to be inspired.  Those of us lacking the ability are most likely in awe at its detailing.  If a tea party theme is in question for the host or hostess, consider asking a friend with these skills to create something similar for your own table decoration.  Instead of the adage “tickled pink” why not use a “tickled purple tea party” theme?  Have guests wear their favorite purple clothing and make purple tea party hats as an activity.

Stefanie Kaspar and Christof Kaspar are the designers of this proposed functional 3-in-1 teacup.  As shown below, the red spoon is actually part of the saucer.  It sleekly appears as the spout of a teapot.  But actually the white base is a bone china teacup.  The purpose of the spoon cup is to slide a used teabag out of the cup into the bottom of the spoon saucer to hide its unsightly appearance. 

The art of paper folding, origami is not as easy as it looks.  Just as throwing a teapot on a potter’s wheel, it takes much practice and patience.  The difference is the wheel is round like a teapot, cup or bowl and rotates in a circular motion to aid in the creation whereas the paper is folded on a flat surface to create a 3-dimensional object.  Taking on such a challenge likely requires a true fan of tea and is possibly not even chosen by the origami artist unless a passionate drinker.

If you like fuzzy or feathered creatures with a whimsical overtone and brilliant, glossy colours then you are sure to appreciate Lynda Corneille’s teapots, cups and sets.  From her studio in British Columbia, Canada, Lynda has been creating award winning, world-wide collectible ceramic pieces for 39 years.  This pot is from her series entitled “Sealed with a Kiss.”  The red-lipped kiss is on the bottom of each piece.  A great gift idea for cat and dog lovers!

I am sure that we all have at one time or another seen something floating in our teacup that we didn’t think should be there.  But these ceramic cups have little creatures intentionally placed in the interior at the base.  When the warm tea is consumed, brilliantly hand painted butterflies, ducks, turtles, dog faces, bees, cats and hippos slowly become visible to delight tea drinkers as they reach the bottom of the cup.