Why teapots?

  Why such a lopsided utilitarian vessel?   There are many answers to that question.   For me it is a nice way of sneaking a piece of art into a middle class home.   Teapot is useful object as well as artistic, and I like my teapots to be functional.   This way people will have it on a table while serving breakfast or a dessert, providing little color and distraction to their day.  

When I talk about my art I talk about the chemistry, the engineering challenge, the physics, or even economics and marketing.   The art is in the eye of beholder, and either is seen or not.   In pottery and ceramics there is a fine line (if any) between the art and the craft.   And thus as a craft person I try to make my pieces fully functional, while as an artist I try to make them interesting enough so the user will pay as much attention to the vessel when empty as when it is being used to serve tea - no more no less.

I love the challenge of combining art and functionality, the engineering and artistic challenge of combing beauty and function in a simple everyday object, of picking a theme and/or idea and designing functional object around it.   I try to keep enough of the idea as a realistic as possible without loosing the function.   I realize that both teapots and sculptures have their own worth, but two for the price of one always makes people feel good as if they have received a special bonus.   And it is this light feel good feeling of a utilitarian piece that helps to bring art into homes that would otherwise distain it.

Care to join me for some tea?