A Study of the Teapot
Through deconstructing and reconstructing key characteristics used to create what we know to be a crafted teapot, my aim is to explore what makes this traditional pottery object, definable as such.
I have had an unshakable interest in handmade/hand-thrown teapots since the first time I sat at a wheel and began to learn about how each element relies on all the others to create balance and beauty. A teapot is a thing of precision, a collection of pieces that must be made and joined in just the correct manner in order to perform its function properly. There are so many variations on the teapot yet only 4 basic components allow a maker to create something unique and interesting which reflects who they are as an artist. Some make with an incredible dedication to clean, formalist perfection and others in a much more expressive way, harnessing the will of the clay and processes employed in its making. Some even lean toward the notion of image rather than object.
This project is an exploration of the teapot. A play around the idea of what defines a teapot, challenging the point at which it may or may not loose its definition prompting a viewer to decide for themselves.
