tea and tête-à-tête

Rich puffs of invigorating aroma gurgling tenderly over a gentle flame, steady hands, impatient fingers tapping away softly at the counter, blurry thoughts, long nights and complex bites of life. It felt as if, it hid something somewhere within it’s brooding bubbling. Somewhere deep within its intoxication was an answer to the unfathomable. Magical, almost mythical is intoxication, just as ‘the unfathomable’ is alluring. Tea, almost magically landed into our lives when tea leaves mysteriously flew into Emperor Shen Nung’s cup of hot water on a cold raw morning around 2700 BC in China.

Tea itself and its uses have evolved since the days of old and yet unlike the ways of the ancient, It has never lost it’s demand. From traditions like the Sado (tea ceremony) and swanky tea parties to impeccably packed packets or more commonly referred to ‘tea bags’, tea has undoubtedly seeped into the finer fabric of life.

It became a curious thought for me that how little I had noticed tea’s lingering presence in my life. Well, being an obstinate coffee devotee, tea was never my choice. I was a late entry into tea’s lair. Only recently had my interest diverged towards it, probably after my first slip casting project. We were required to design a teapot. While discussing the project my teacher mentioned how having tea at her place required all manner of propriety and preparations, something I had only come to see at the end of formal dinners at my place. I thought, surly one could not be expected to set-up a proper tea-set along with a tea-cozy before tea, why would it demand such respect, it was after all only a beverage. I had to see for myself to understand.

I have come to believe, the true tea enthusiast would only be able to answer my questions. I on the other hand have only reached a state where I can appreciate and indulge in tea, be it green, black or any other color.

The project required us to design the teapot, produce it’s molds, formulate 1200̊c casting slip and glazes and the final teapots, fired to their temperature, and completely functional.

This was my very first multi-piece mold. Section .A labeled underneath was a the two piece section of the main body and spout of the teapot. Section .B labeled underneath was a one piece section of the lid rest and Section .C labeled underneath was a one piece section of the foot.

detailed and separated documentation during the mold making process labeled as per the already labeled sections:

Next step was formulating the casting slip and the glazes. A number of glazes were tested on a spare teapot :

Apart from the regular color experiments in plain base glazes i also tried experimenting with copper, rubbing oxides, glaze splashing, dipping, crazing, crackling glazes, Indian ink, pressure spraying and brushing.

One of the requirement was a clean teapot without any glaze on the outside.

the last two pictures underneath were just an experiment with form, wax emulsion and thick casting slip.

I have come to realize life is too short, and provides us with too few opportunity for us to waste. Too few for us to be able to label situations and things undesirable without even having to judge them or without even trying to connect with them and the pleasures they may behold.