Confession #1 I admit I have only ever made one teapot in my ceramic career. It was for an assignment, and it was woefully wonky. It never held or poured liquid. I gave it to my mom but then demanded that she break it and throw it away. There
could be no trace of that mess.
Confession #2 When the thought of making a teapot has crossed my mind over the years, I admit, I have gotten bogged down by making all the parts—size, shape, design—and then assembling them in such a way that they not only functioned
in harmony with one another, but were also aesthetically pleasing as an object. The whole teapot ensemble stymies me. One wrong move, and you’ve got a drip!
Confession #3 Teapots, as objects, hold little appeal for me. Possibly, because I am a die-hard espresso drinker and I’m drawn to strong, bitter beverages made by a loud machine, served in small cups without a handle, that are drank quickly
for big effect. The ritual of tea, I admit, is lost on me. Although I agree historically and communally significant, the act of brewing and drinking tea—heating water, pouring the hot water into another vessel, adding a tea bag, waiting, and
then slowly sipping hot, flavored water is, like meditation, akin to taking a nap. I know it’s good to slow down, it’s just not easy for me—possibly a few less espresso shots would help. So, teapots are hard for me in many ways.
All of that said, I want to grow, and want to give readers the best pottery magazine possible. So, within this issue, which focuses on throwing, we take a deep dive into the making of teapots. Three accomplished potters, Taylor Sijan, Kyle Brumsted, and
Olivia Avery (shown above and below respectively), take us through their process of design, component building, and assembling a teapot. While their objects may ultimately have the same name, the overall aesthetic of their process is wholly unique,
engaging from a comparative perspective, and challenging in a way we rarely get the opportunity to see all in one place. Cheers!
Taylor Sijan's finished teapot.Kyle Brumsted's finished teapot.Olivia Avery's finished teapot.
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Confession #1 I admit I have only ever made one teapot in my ceramic career. It was for an assignment, and it was woefully wonky. It never held or poured liquid. I gave it to my mom but then demanded that she break it and throw it away. There could be no trace of that mess.
Confession #2 When the thought of making a teapot has crossed my mind over the years, I admit, I have gotten bogged down by making all the parts—size, shape, design—and then assembling them in such a way that they not only functioned in harmony with one another, but were also aesthetically pleasing as an object. The whole teapot ensemble stymies me. One wrong move, and you’ve got a drip!
Confession #3 Teapots, as objects, hold little appeal for me. Possibly, because I am a die-hard espresso drinker and I’m drawn to strong, bitter beverages made by a loud machine, served in small cups without a handle, that are drank quickly for big effect. The ritual of tea, I admit, is lost on me. Although I agree historically and communally significant, the act of brewing and drinking tea—heating water, pouring the hot water into another vessel, adding a tea bag, waiting, and then slowly sipping hot, flavored water is, like meditation, akin to taking a nap. I know it’s good to slow down, it’s just not easy for me—possibly a few less espresso shots would help. So, teapots are hard for me in many ways.
All of that said, I want to grow, and want to give readers the best pottery magazine possible. So, within this issue, which focuses on throwing, we take a deep dive into the making of teapots. Three accomplished potters, Taylor Sijan, Kyle Brumsted, and Olivia Avery (shown above and below respectively), take us through their process of design, component building, and assembling a teapot. While their objects may ultimately have the same name, the overall aesthetic of their process is wholly unique, engaging from a comparative perspective, and challenging in a way we rarely get the opportunity to see all in one place. Cheers!
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