Thursday TeaDay 10/15/09 Homeland teaware?

[Chip]

Welcome to TeaDay, please share what is in your cup throughout the day.

Yesterday we discussed Japanese teaware, you can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. Today we again search for a consensus of teaware by country and/or style. Today, please share whether or not you own any teaware from your home country. ALSO, does this teaware reflect your homeland's culture/style or that of another country? Share some information regarding your homeland teawares.

I am looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with everyone. Bottoms up!

[Geekgirl]

I have quite a few items from American potters, although they do not dominate my collection. Most of them are Asian in influence, such as this one, a favorite of mine:

[chamekke]

To echo GeekGirl... I have many tea wares (and sake wares!) made by Canadian potters. For sure, most of them are Japanese-influenced or -inspired. Some potters are famous (Wayne Ngan), some not (Lynne Johnson, Katy Adams) ... yet

[Drax]

I don't believe I have any teaware made in the US. Or at least, not as far as I know.

It seems as though it's going to be rainy and very cool here for the next few days. Ah well. I've already had to break out the fleece pants for lazing about the apartment. I do enjoy piling on the blankets at night, though, so it's not all bad.

It's also much nicer to curl up with a hot cup of tea. Another round with a rock oolong this morning.

Have a great TeaDay everybody!

[Trey Winston]

Norwegian teaware is almost a contradiction in terms. We tend to drink c*ffee, not tea. So no, I don't have any.

Enjoying some White Peony today.

[Victoria]

Norwegian teaware is almost a contradiction in terms. We tend to drink c*ffee, not tea. So no, I don't have any.

Awww but there is all that lovely Bodum so close by and I bet you have some beautiful tea trays.

I have American teaware made by USA artisan potters on this board; Ericka from Elm Studios, Fred Parker, and Cory Lum and from several Etsy potters too. And I'm sure other glass and misc items made here too.

In my cup this morning - again me Black Pearls ...arrrr!

[RachelC]

Yes, I do have a pieces of teaware that reflect my homeland country India and they definately have the Indian influenece. I also have a few that resemble a Chinese influence but do to the geographic closeness this is bound to translate to India and vise versa. However, I do not use them. I keep them on display since they are collector items. Well, at least to me.

[brlarson]

I don't have any American pieces yet, but when I buy my first chawan they will most likely come from our TC-local TeaArtisans.

Hibiki-an sencha premium is my cup this morning.

[leiche2]

American-made, but definitely Asian-inspired, teaware dominates my collection. I've got cups from two potters on this board: Ericka from Elm Studios, and Chris (chicagopotter), as well as two from Vince and Sabrina, and another from another potter whose name I've long since forgotten that I picked up on a visit to the Canterbury Shaker Village. All very different pieces; all very well loved.

Keemun Rhapsody on this unseasonably cool morning.

[JBaymore]

Difficult question to set up as a poll and to answer. Had to vote "Other".

For me, it is hard to say what the "American" claywork aesthetic / style actually is, what with the melting pot of cultural influences that impact this country. The diversity of work being produced by American potters is huge.

I have many of the typical American "coffee mug"....that I use for tea. I also have yunomi made by American artists.... where the very core concept of that vessel type is Japanese, but the execution of the object is anything BUT Japanese in aesthetic. And I also have chawan by American artists that are very derivative of the Japanese aesthetic (not to mention that the concept of "chawan" IS totally Japanese).

But actual Japanese work dominates my teawares.

Curiously, the best COFFEE cup and saucer I have is Japanese, made by Masa-san, a former apprentice of Shimaoka Tatsuzo.

best,

..................john

[olivierco]

No teaware from France for me. My mother owns a very nice Limoges teaset but although she only uses it for display she has always refused to give it to me.

Kaboku sencha right now.

[Intuit]

^ This is why I voted 'other', before JB cast his vote. I looked over the options and thought, well this doesn't describe my domestic teaware very well. Most of the casual teaware sold in the US is made abroad. The excellent hand-made, one of a kind teaware I've purchased more recently from US and Canadian potters clearly has multicultural influences in the design and production techniques. My fine teaware was made in Europe long ago. My everyday china tableware was also made in Europe. These include tea service pieces.

Like our Norwegian friend's experience, the predominant American hot beverage was and still is, coffee. Very few potters working in typical American style tablewares of the 70s-early 90s made teapots and teacups until the domestic demand for import teas made them a desirable commodity for sale at Art Fairs and 'handmade' shops.

Your average American doesn't buy their teaware from trendy and exclusive galleries. Most serious tea drinkers purchase teaware made in Europe or Eastern Asia, depending on preference for infusion technique or tea type.

Until recently, American tea buffs had a limited selection of loose leaf teas available from importers, sold in specialty shops in large cities or ordered abroad. Tea and teaware purchasing changed substantially when WWW access boosted retail goods globalization in the mid-to-late 90s.

A few American tableware manufacturers are still making teaware here in the US, but I've not seen them mentioned here. American potters who craft teaArt have been heavily influenced by Asian pottery techniques, in step with growing appreciation for Chinese, Formosan and Japanese teas in North America. JB made interesting reference to this earlier; it's worth discussion elsewhere here on TeaChat.

WuYi rock oolong in my cup on this Foggy morning.

[silvermage2000]

Finally got unbusy enough to get back to this great website. Lastly the teas I have had not just today. a nice mango black tea,a white raspberry tea,some summit tea sunset,some california tiramisu roobios,some strawberry mint tea,california lemon m. roobios did not care for. Cant think if there was anymore lately because I dont drink tea every day. Today so far a cup of st vervaine melange herbal.

[depravitea]

I live in the United States. I have no American teaware.
All my teaware is Chinese.

[woozl]

I'm a big fan of supporting local talent.
I currently have: Cory Lum (chawan), Moss Beach (yunomi), Mahoggle (yunomi), Jason Strom(tea bowls), Robert Fornell (Oribe yunomi), Rockport Pottery(several wan and chawan), Lenni (birch bark guinomi)
And of course my favorite, woozl's wife (many pieces)
She's been working on objects: