Sculptural teapot tempests

 

 

ceramic-teapot-in-browns by Suze Lindsay

Suze Lindsay

 

Blue and Yellow Running Man ceramic teapot---Tony Bennett

‘Blue and Yellow Running Man’  teapot — Tony Bennett

T’s made exhibition – Rye Art Gallery, UK

 

Tempest in a teapot

 

Storm in a teacup, tempest in a teapot, exaggerated sculptural teapot forms brewing up intriguing shapes that seem to transcend any wholistic coherence. Most of us were exposed to the quirkiness of teapots at a young age when we were treated to renditions of “I’m A Little Teapot” at kindergarten. Maybe this  partially explains how a certain childlike freedom of expression seems to manifest when potters cross paths with teapots. As most are hand built and asymmetrical, there is possibly of a release being experienced from the symmetrical constraints of wheel thrown forms. There certainly seems to be an enthusiastic amount of form manipulation, shape shifting and stretching of teapot boundaries occurring.
In Design Theory, form follows function, but the new paradigm of teapot construction is function might possibly follow exaggerated form and if it doesn’t, then you always have a teabag to fall back on. There are plenty of these tea brewing masterpieces that manage to be utilitarian but others are purely decorative. Teapots apparently bring luck, as tradition has it in Russia for giving a bridesmaid a teapot – as a gesture of better luck next time.

 

Michael Lucero ceramic teapot on stand

Michael Lucero

Some of the following teapots look like they are eagerly waiting to be part of a tea break conversation and quite capable of participating in an animated discussion. Being a 4-5 cup a day tea connoisseur myself, my teapot gets more than enough attention, but they do appear to suffer from a ‘look at me’ complex, relative to the other table wares. Being a favorite British preoccupation, I always associated their ritualistic tea habit with being a slightly eccentric pastime, this being reinforced by outlandish spectacles like Lewis Caroll’s Mad Hatter tea party. Not to mention the teapot’s Seer like attributes for being a source of tea leaves for predicting the future. The appearance of most of this collection of teapots here tends to support this notion. In times of chaos there is nothing more reassuring then an orderly cup of tea from a teapot of whimsy.  As they say, “this morning’s tea makes yesterday distant”

 

Tea here now – one pot, infinite flavors

Some ancient sayings reinforcing teas reputation for quirkiness and wisdom:

 

The sounds of the tea being made invites the peach blossoms to peep in through the window. ~Uson, quoted in Sasaki Sanmi, Sadô Saijiki

 

Having picked some tea, he drank it,
Then he sprouted wings,
And flew to a fairy mansion,
To escape the emptiness of the world….
~Chiao Jen

 

If you have one teapot
And can brew your tea in it
That will do quite well.
How much does he lack himself
Who needs to have more things?
~Sen no Rikyū

 

 

Afternoon teap ritual

‘The King’s Speech’ afternoon tea

 

 

Glass French-Teapot with a gold filigree surround

Glass French teapot – 1840

 

 

The teapot song a man in a tuxedo holding illustrated teapots

This cheeky song was penned in 1939 by George Harry Sanders and Clarence Kelley with the intention of creating a tune that would support tap dancing at Kelley’s dance school. The staccato rhythm of “I’m a little teapot, short and stout” was ideal for the young toe tappers.

A girl with a tiny play teaset

Coralie Beatrix dress

 

 

Gail-Mackiewic creative ceramic teapots

Gail Mackiewic

 

‘Dragonfly Teapot’Barbara Chadwick

 

 

Penguin ring teapot

Ray Bub – ‘King Penguins Upright Ring Teapot’

 

 

 

Egyptian revival teapot - Royal-Manufacture-of-Naples

Egyptian Revival teapot—1785.-Royal Manufacture of Naples

Florence Porcelain Museum

 

 

sea liner teapot

Ceramic sea liner teapot

 

 

Marlene Bowman elegant ceramic teapot

Marlene Bowman

 

 

Adrian-Sandstrom quaint ceramic teapot

Adrian Sandstrom

 

 

Adrian-Saxe gold swirl teapot with rock base

Golden glaze teapot with rock base – Adrian Saxe

 

 

 

Michael-Lucero,-Conquistador mas with a red teapot head

Michael Lucero,   ‘Conquistador’

 

 

 

Amy-Sanders-orange and brown deep textured teapot

Amy Sanders

Mud Fire Gallery

 

 

Chameleon pourer – Ardmore Ceramics

 

 

 

Long Neck Teapot – Carol Wedemeyer

 

Carol Wedemeyer constructing a ceramic teapot

Carol Wedemeyer

 

 

alexander-miroshnychenko ceramic teapot in turquoise and brown

Alexander Miroshnychenko

 

 

Leopard in a leopard skin boot teapot

‘Fit to a Tea’ is a teapot in the form of a leopard in a patterned boot – Meryl Ruth

2013

 

 

Geoffrey-Swindell-teardrop teapot

Geoffrey Swindell

 

 

Joanne-Russo teapot with geometric pattern in relief texture

Joanne Russo

 

 

 Judy and Larry Cunningham of California handcrafted gourd teapot with glass handle

Gourd teapot with glass handle   Judy and Larry Cunningham

California

 

 

 

rebeccalowery-on-Etsy green teapot

rebeccalowery on Etsy

 

 

John-Kellum ceramic teapot

John Kellum

 

Josie-Jurczenia red ceramic teapot with white underglaze sgaffito

Josie Jurczenia red teapot with white underglaze and scratching

 

 

Jake-Johnson-Teapot - pastel turquoise matt green

Jake Johnson – 2010

 

 

 

Kurt-Weiser-Adam-and-Eve and large bird teapot

Kurt Weiser  –  ‘Adam and Eve’ 

 

 

 

Panda eating bamboo teapot

Giant Panda munching bamboo teapot

 

 

Jane-Shellenbarger oriental style teapot

Jane Shellenbarger orental style tea/coffee pot

 

 

 

Judy-Weeden black and white geometric sgraffito teapot

Judy Weeden, Canada – ‘Memimage’ teapot

 

 

Karen-Portaleo-lady-with-child-and-pig-teapot

Karen Portaleo – lady holding child and pig teapot

 

 

 

Charming octopus wood teapot

Cheery octo teapot with octopus nose lid

Hand carved bass wood and acrylic paint. Kamm Foundation

 

 

-Lydia-Buzio ceramic teapot

‘Roofscape Teapot’ – Lydia Buzio

1991

 

 

Lana-Wilson blue with purple highlights teapot

Lana Wilson

 

 

Liz-Quackenbush teapot with blue spirals on white

Liz Quackenbush

 

 

 

Red Weldon Sandlin teapot with female figure lid

Red Weldon Sandlin

 

 

 

Tokumaru-Kyoko-white teapot

Tokumaru Kyoko

 

 

 

Meryl-Ruth..queen of hearts teapot

Meryl Ruth –  ‘The Queens Tea Yara’

photo Robert Diamonte

 

1785 teapot

Creamware taeapot – 1785

Britain

 

Gourd teapot with white rabbit motif on black and orange

Gourd teapot with glass handle –   Judy and Larry Cunningham

 

 

Michael-Lucero Head-with-Two-Curls-Teapot,

Michael Lucero – ‘Head with Two Curls Teapot’

 

 

Nicholas-Joerling-ceramic-teapot-arts

Nicholas Joerling

 

 

Noel-Bailey white gourd like teaspot

Noel  Bailey

 

 

Noi-Volkov-ceramics-Dali-teapot

Noi Volkov – Dali Don Quixote teapot

 

 

Pamela-MacGregor orange and black detail teapot

‘Not A Rusty Bucket’ – Pamela MacGregor

 

 

julia-Galoway ceramic teapot - blue glaze with geometric detailed panels

Julia Galloway

Schaller Gallery

 

 

Ray-Bub ceramic tubular teapot

Ray Bub

 

 

Lomonosov porcelain teapot

Russian Lomonosov teapot

 

 

Richard-Notkin pyramid teapot

Richard Notkin

 

 

 

Vadim-Malkin-teapot-green and brown glaze

Vadim Malkin

In my work I attempt to investigate a transcendental facet of life, to find a soulful meaning to everyday living and combine it with style and whimsy. My work reflects growth, change, and adaptation. Stemming from an idealistic perspective of childhood memories, I have found a fondness for the ceremonial aspects of the tradition of tea. This nightly ritual brings families and friends together as they lounge, sip, and discuss the day’s events and adversities.

 

 

Sencha ewer or export teapot in the form of bamboo with painting of the three creeds Fengan with tiger, Confucius, and Laozi – 19th Century

© Los Angeles County Museum of Art

 

 

 

Steel-Plated-Teapot Scott Dooley

Steel Plated Teapot – porcelain sculpture by Scott Dooley

 

 

 

Tea-Pot-Sculpture-Helene-Fielder

Helene Fielder Tea Pot Sculpture

 

 

 

Alice-DeLisle Tea Matron ceramic teapot

Alice DeLisle

 

 

German Meissen porcelain teapot

Meissan teapot in the shape of a peach, Germany 1725

 

 

Chandra-DeBuse lime green abstract pattern teapot

Chandra DeBuse

 

 

Tom-Coleman-ceramic-teaoot

Tom Coleman

Tom and Elaine Coleman Gallery

 

 

Tom-Hubert-flamboyant teapot

Tom Hubert

Hubert Ceramics

 

Vorobiev teapot

Vorobiev teapot

 

 

Whimsical-black-and-white-teapot

Sgraffito female face motif teapot

 Fuller Craft Museum Image by Mryipyop, via flickr

 

 

 

Xenia-Mitrokhin-teapot with psychedelic decoration

Xenia Mitrokhin

 

 

 

Richard Godfrey polychrome futuristic ceramic teapot

Raygun atomic futuristic teapot – Richard Godfrey

 

 

Meissen-porcelain teapot with swimming fish and sea serpent

Meissen porcelain ocean theme teapot

circa 1729-31

 

 

David-Bennett wood carved teapot in a sea horse form

‘Tea Horse’David Bennett

 

 

 

Dwo-Wen-Chen whinsical teapot

Whimsical teapot with wizard hat lid – Dwo Wen Chen

 

 

Sausage dog teapot by Meryl Ruth

Sausage dog teapot – Meryl Ruth

 

 

‘Teapot and stand’  by Ralph Bacerra

2001

 

 

 

joellynrock_ceramic--(Nicaraguan-Coffee-Break) black and white teapot

Joellyn Rock ceramic — ‘Nicaraguan Coffee Break’

Narrative teapot

 

 

 

Rebecca Mazur-(aka-Zimmerman),-Sandbag-Teapot,-1998

Rebecca Mazur – -yellow ‘Sandbag Teapot’

1998

 

 

Ceramic-teapot-Yoshiro-Ikeda

Ceramic teapot Yoshiro Ikeda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEXT POST  —  Archival photos from Life Magazine

 

6 Comments

  1. Posted March 25, 2017 at 8:34 pm | Permalink

    As a collector of tea pots all I can say is absolutely stunning.
    Terri lee Fatouros
    Music hournalist from
    tlfinternationalmusic.com

  2. Mike Gordon
    Posted April 26, 2017 at 6:29 am | Permalink

    I cannot connect with the sign up for e-mail notices! I get a blank page when I try this..https://www.veniceclayartists.com/the-art-of-isms/ and my computer doesn’t recognize ” email by octopus” Mike Gordon

  3. Robbie I. Hood
    Posted April 26, 2017 at 9:48 am | Permalink

    Hi Mike, I checked the subscription list and you are on it. When you press subscribe, the application goes straight through without going to another page, and a Thanks for subscribing! message should appear. With regard to the https://www.veniceclayartists.com/the-art-of-isms/ I checked it with Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Mozilla and it worked fine. Also webpagetest for California…..it had no issues.it’s a big post so the load is 7-14 secs. IF you are using another browser can you let me know so I can test it.. Thanks for taking the time to inform me.

    cheers
    Robbie

  4. jeanine bradfield
    Posted December 3, 2017 at 4:00 am | Permalink

    What a wonderful treat to my eyes. Such imagination for teapots.

  5. Posted April 23, 2018 at 12:13 am | Permalink

    Beautiful teapots. I wonder what it is about tea that inspires such whimsical and creative imagination.

  6. Marti Wilson-Taylor
    Posted June 20, 2023 at 2:10 pm | Permalink

    These tea pots are absolutely extraordinary. Bravo.
    Marti

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