No, this isn’t about current politics.
For the last two years of posting articles to this blog I’ve been guided by the question, What is it about tea that inspires art?
In asking the question, there is an assumption that it is the spiritual aspects of the leaf that inspire. I’ve mentioned books of that theme; Spirit of Tea by Frank Hadley Murphy, Tea Here Now by Donna Fellman… read more...
Popularity: 13% [?]
I like to read tea books. Don’t you? I’ll admit that they can be redundant. That’s OK. I’m still relatively new to TeaLand and in each new book is a sparkling nugget. I’m like a child who want’s to have Winnie the Pooh read again every night. There are the tea facts, tea stories, legends and history. The bigger picture seems to come into focus with repetition… read more...
Popularity: 12% [?]
I like to write about tea books and support tea authors and teachers. This one is a particular favorite.
Tea Here Now, by Donna Fellman & Lhasha Tizer is one of the first tea books I read cover to cover. My desk copy is now rather worn. If you pick it up, it… read more...
Popularity: 17% [?]
On December 19th last year, I posted an article that needs correcting. I thank Mary Douglas, curator of the Kamm Foundation teapot collection, for adding a comment that set me straight. She has been the curator of The Sparta Teapot Museum which is now closed to the public but the foundation continues to provide pieces from their collection to shows around the world.
My error was thinking that they also managed… read more...
Popularity: 16% [?]
I love the leaf. The history. The legends. The art and literature. I dream of visiting all the places where it is grown and the many ways it is brewed. The brewed tea that fills my cup becomes more magical as I venture into new taste experiences. The teaware. The… read more...
Popularity: 25% [?]
One thing I like about literature for children is that, in trying to write more simply, looking for the essence of a subject, we more easily and obviously touch the spiritual aspects. In the case of tea as a theme, I’m always delighted to find stories for children with a tea element. read more...
Popularity: 24% [?]
It’s the title of a blog by The Kamm Teapot Foundation where they offer reviews of some of the most interesting teapot artists and exhibitions spotlighting teapots. If you go to their blog site, http://teapotsteapotsteapots.blogspot.com/2006/02/kamm-teapot-foundation.html you will be able to go back through the hundreds of posts already online. I’ll start by saying that the navigation is minimal. The right sidebar will continue to display ten new teapot articles… read more...
Popularity: 25% [?]
I came across this story in the San Francisco Chronicle about a month ago and I’ve let it fester in a ‘what-does-this-mean’ kind of way. My conclusion is that Tea - the spirit of the plant and not the actress - want’s us to share a good laugh.
Judith Ets-Hokin, well known around here as… read more...
Popularity: 24% [?]
We tea people often find ourselves dancing on the head of the pin in discussions about professional qualifications.
What is a tea professional? Which school? How much travel? Required texts? What’s your niche? How many years have you been in the business? With whom have you studied? How much has it cost? Can you tell a Darjeeling from a Da Hong Pao? How many countries of origin can you list… read more...
Popularity: 71% [?]
In one of my previous posts I mentioned a local gallery show with a teapot theme. I had a few emails and phone calls asking what it was like.
The following photos are from a recent show at the Asif Studio in Grass Valley, CA. The artists featured here collaborate, combining various genre, all relating to the teapot. The artists vary not only in medium but also in age… read more...
Popularity: 34% [?]