User avatar
Aug 25th, '11, 12:06
Posts: 5896
Joined: Jan 10th, '10, 16:04
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: debunix

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by debunix » Aug 25th, '11, 12:06


User avatar
Aug 25th, '11, 12:44
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by Chip » Aug 25th, '11, 12:44

... enroute ... first side handle aquisition from Seong-il. So, just Seong-il's photos.

Porcelain shino w-wood ash Teapot #25.
Image

Also Cup set #7 I think ... photos are currently unavailable.

And personal first ever clay caddies (which is somewhat suprising given my penchant for canisters), #13 porcelain and #20 onggi clay.
ImageImage

User avatar
Aug 25th, '11, 12:48
Posts: 5896
Joined: Jan 10th, '10, 16:04
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: debunix

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by debunix » Aug 25th, '11, 12:48

Those tea caddies were almost irresistible, for sure.

User avatar
Aug 25th, '11, 12:50
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by Chip » Aug 25th, '11, 12:50

debunix wrote:Those tea caddies were almost irresistible, for sure.
Almost? I don't think so. :mrgreen: It was hard to just get two. :lol:

And sweet pot/cups, debunix!

User avatar
Aug 26th, '11, 04:51
Posts: 4536
Joined: Apr 1st, '09, 00:48
Location: Bangkok

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by Tead Off » Aug 26th, '11, 04:51

debunix wrote:Those tea caddies were almost irresistible, for sure.
I had to do some arm-twisting. :D

Next firing, we should be seeing some more onggi caddys. They sold very fast.

User avatar
Aug 26th, '11, 11:02
Posts: 589
Joined: Dec 13th, '10, 14:04
Location: Seattle
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact: hopeofdawn

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by hopeofdawn » Aug 26th, '11, 11:02

Just got my first Seong-il cups yesterday--they are gorgeous! I hope to have good sun this weekend so I can go out and take some good photos of them to share ...

User avatar
Sep 17th, '11, 05:18
Posts: 4536
Joined: Apr 1st, '09, 00:48
Location: Bangkok

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by Tead Off » Sep 17th, '11, 05:18

I will not be offering any of the teaware of Elena Renker any longer. To my utter amazement, there was zero response. Why? Several potters whom I respect have told me that her work is very high quality and hold her in high esteem. These are both Asians and Western potters. I own one of her bowls and often reach for it when I'm preparing matcha. It feels very good in the hands and is great to look at.

I feel disappointed that others did not see what I and other teaware potters saw in her work. Is it because she is not a 'Tea Artisan' who posts in that thread? Do people feel that they do not 'know' her so they don't want to take a chance on her work or don't feel like they have a 'personal' connection to her? These are some of the thoughts going through my head trying to make heads or tails out of it all. Just wanted to say something about it.

User avatar
Sep 17th, '11, 09:45
Posts: 2228
Joined: Jul 22nd, '09, 10:55
Location: Capital of the Mitten
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact: AdamMY

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by AdamMY » Sep 17th, '11, 09:45

Tead Off wrote:I will not be offering any of the teaware of Elena Renker any longer. To my utter amazement, there was zero response. Why? Several potters whom I respect have told me that her work is very high quality and hold her in high esteem. These are both Asians and Western potters. I own one of her bowls and often reach for it when I'm preparing matcha. It feels very good in the hands and is great to look at.

I feel disappointed that others did not see what I and other teaware potters saw in her work. Is it because she is not a 'Tea Artisan' who posts in that thread? Do people feel that they do not 'know' her so they don't want to take a chance on her work or don't feel like they have a 'personal' connection to her? These are some of the thoughts going through my head trying to make heads or tails out of it all. Just wanted to say something about it.

I will tell you I did quite like a few of her pieces, but in response to teaware I have held back on buying lately. I am sorry that you have had zero response to her pieces, and I am sorry when all quality artisans have zero response to their pieces.

User avatar
Sep 17th, '11, 10:01
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by Chip » Sep 17th, '11, 10:01

I tend to think as I stated above (I think), interest is generated in discussion with TeawareArtisans and/or discussion of TeawareArtisans (and their works). The more we talk, the more we are interested.

It is a huge benefit/advantage of being a TeawareArtisan on TeaChat. I think we feel a little more connected to the artisan and his/her works ... we begin to relate to them on some level.

I still hope Elena Renker joins the TeawareArtisans. We would all be enriched! I definitely thought her work was beautiful.

User avatar
Sep 17th, '11, 11:28
Posts: 4536
Joined: Apr 1st, '09, 00:48
Location: Bangkok

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by Tead Off » Sep 17th, '11, 11:28

Elena is aware of TeaChat. Whether she will join in, I couldn't say. No doubt, it would probably help sales for me if she did, but, this was not my point in expressing my disappointment and surprise. Many teachatters buy works of artists they don't know at all. ebay and even sellers like Artistic Nippon and Mago are selling artists you, Chip, and the rest of teachatters have never met, said a word to, and know nothing about except that you like their work. I bought work from Seong il and Petr Novak before they joined teachat based on my need, taste, and eye for teaware. I looked at their work and saw something I liked. The price was secondary and luckily not out of my range. I realize other people don't always have the same taste as I do so I can accept not everyone will agree with me. But, in this case, not one enquiry or question about the artist or the work. A couple of posters like Adam had kind words to say and it's appreciated. It just makes me wonder, Chip, when you say her work was beautiful but you never bought anything.(Not trying to make you feel guilty). In Adam's case, he pleads poverty. :D That I understand fully. If you didn't think the work was beautiful, I would understand that fully, too. Do you see what I'm getting at? Believe me, I don't need the money and I'm not doing this solely for the money.

User avatar
Sep 17th, '11, 12:56
Posts: 333
Joined: May 3rd, '10, 14:40
Location: Ulsan, South Korea
Contact: karmaplace

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by karmaplace » Sep 17th, '11, 12:56

I actually looked at the pieces that you had up in her gallery several times, and was considering them mostly because of all the great things you had said about her work, but I just didn't find them to my personal taste. I'm very sad to hear that there were no inquiries.

User avatar
Sep 17th, '11, 13:23
Posts: 5896
Joined: Jan 10th, '10, 16:04
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Contact: debunix

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by debunix » Sep 17th, '11, 13:23

The items I like best of her offerings are the Chawans, which I don't use regularly, and the teacups were mostly of a size that I already have in plenty. If I'd seen her cups before my collection got as large, I might well have grabbed a couple.

I do not want to do with teaware what I did with books--have to look at every prospective home with suitability for ridiculous numbers of bookcases in mind.

User avatar
Sep 19th, '11, 10:46
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by Chip » Sep 19th, '11, 10:46

Tead Off wrote: ... Chip, and the rest of teachatters have never met, said a word to, and know nothing about except that you like their work. ... It just makes me wonder, Chip, when you say her work was beautiful but you never bought anything.(Not trying to make you feel guilty).
Interestingly, every teaware piece I have bought outside of China and Japan, I have had direct contact with, and it was after they joined TC. Previously I did not appreciate "Western" teaware (though Elena is not "Western" per se being in the land down under) since historically it tended to be BIG, heavy and clunky. I was thrilled to see I was wrong.

I tend to follow an artisan for a while, then buy multiple pieces of the artisan's work. I think part of my personality is in this, it is just not me to pick up a piece, I want a group that somehow makes sense together, even if they appear eclectic.

But this might take time ... so timing is a really big factor. But interaction can really speed up this timing process. You could have posted Seong-il's work here, and while I might say it is beautiful, I might not have jumped at the opportunitity (several times :) ) had we already not had interactions and discussion regarding Seong-il. So, I was "ripe for the picking" so to speak. I already had his works on my radar and was already looking for the right opportunity, the right pieces. 16 pieces later ...

I hope this makes some sense ... understanding a buyer's or collector's mentality, (sometimes irrational) thought process, motivations can be hard to grasp.

User avatar
Sep 19th, '11, 12:46
Posts: 2794
Joined: Oct 16th, '08, 21:01
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Arlington, VA
Been thanked: 2 times
Contact: Drax

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by Drax » Sep 19th, '11, 12:46

I thought about this question for a bit. For me, it came down to two things. First, Dropbox, and second, the amount of exposure.

I understand why you're starting with Dropbox, but it is a terrible interface for perusing wares. Also, I think mostly "out of sight, out of mind." Looking back on this thread, her works received only a tiny amount of stage time. Perhaps more photos in the thread, especially of stuff "in action," would help? And re-presenting stuff from time to time? If I'm not familiar with a person's work, then I'm not going to think of that person when I suddenly get in the mood to buy a certain type of teaware...

User avatar
Sep 19th, '11, 15:59
Posts: 589
Joined: Dec 13th, '10, 14:04
Location: Seattle
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact: hopeofdawn

Re: Tead Off, TEAWARE ONLINE

by hopeofdawn » Sep 19th, '11, 15:59

Speaking only for myself--I looked at work at least a couple different times, and I found that the aesthetic of it just didn't appeal to me. I tend to love clean lines, and colors (whether vivid or muted) that attract my eye to the form and function of the piece rather than distract from it. I also have to second what debunix said--I don't drink matcha nearly as often as I do other teas, so the fact that the majority of her pieces were chawan was also a factor.

To be really honest, though, I'm very particular about what pieces I buy--a piece of teaware has to really strike me in the heart, so to speak, before I make the leap from admirer to owner. :)

+ Post Reply