Suze Lindsay
‘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
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
‘The King’s Speech’ afternoon tea
Glass French teapot – 1840
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.
Coralie Beatrix dress
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‘Dragonfly Teapot’ – Barbara Chadwick
Ray Bub – ‘King Penguins Upright Ring Teapot’
Egyptian Revival teapot—1785.-Royal Manufacture of Naples
Florence Porcelain Museum
Ceramic sea liner teapot
Marlene Bowman
Adrian Sandstrom
Golden glaze teapot with rock base – Adrian Saxe
Michael Lucero, ‘Conquistador’
Amy Sanders
Mud Fire Gallery
Chameleon pourer – Ardmore Ceramics
Long Neck Teapot – Carol Wedemeyer
Carol Wedemeyer
Alexander Miroshnychenko
‘Fit to a Tea’ is a teapot in the form of a leopard in a patterned boot – Meryl Ruth
2013
Geoffrey Swindell
Joanne Russo
Gourd teapot with glass handle – Judy and Larry Cunningham
California
rebeccalowery on Etsy
John Kellum
Josie Jurczenia red teapot with white underglaze and scratching
Jake Johnson – 2010
Kurt Weiser – ‘Adam and Eve’
Giant Panda munching bamboo teapot
Jane Shellenbarger orental style tea/coffee pot
Judy Weeden, Canada – ‘Memimage’ teapot
Karen Portaleo – lady holding child and pig teapot
Cheery octo teapot with octopus nose lid
Hand carved bass wood and acrylic paint. Kamm Foundation
‘Roofscape Teapot’ – Lydia Buzio
1991
Lana Wilson
Liz Quackenbush
Tokumaru Kyoko
Meryl Ruth – ‘The Queens Tea Yara’
photo Robert Diamonte
Creamware taeapot – 1785
Britain
Gourd teapot with glass handle – Judy and Larry Cunningham
Michael Lucero – ‘Head with Two Curls Teapot’
Nicholas Joerling
Noel Bailey
Noi Volkov – Dali Don Quixote teapot
‘Not A Rusty Bucket’ – Pamela MacGregor
Julia Galloway
Ray Bub
Russian Lomonosov teapot
Richard Notkin
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 – porcelain sculpture by Scott Dooley
Helene Fielder Tea Pot Sculpture
Alice DeLisle
Meissan teapot in the shape of a peach, Germany 1725
Chandra DeBuse
Tom Coleman
Tom and Elaine Coleman Gallery
Tom Hubert
Vorobiev teapot
Sgraffito female face motif teapot
Fuller Craft Museum Image by Mryipyop, via flickr
Xenia Mitrokhin
Raygun atomic futuristic teapot – Richard Godfrey
Meissen porcelain ocean theme teapot
circa 1729-31
‘Tea Horse’ – David Bennett
Whimsical teapot with wizard hat lid – Dwo Wen Chen
Sausage dog teapot – Meryl Ruth
‘Teapot and stand’ by Ralph Bacerra
2001
Joellyn Rock ceramic — ‘Nicaraguan Coffee Break’
Narrative teapot
Rebecca Mazur – -yellow ‘Sandbag Teapot’
1998
Ceramic teapot Yoshiro Ikeda
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