some time has passed – teapothead went quiet, very quiet……
but it is useful to reflect on the year past, teapot #3 has come along, as have several other primordial, deep sea creatures, that otherwise pass as a tea set
with its hemispherical nature, the whole room is reflected in teapot #3
teapothead considers that it is kind of crazy to make such a difficult teapot – simple says teapothead, keep it simple
two things have brought teapothead back to this blog:
i) wrestling with the design of teapot #3 – teapothead is feeling all at sea all over again – but things have started to get to a point where it is possible to show at least something
ii) teapothead is most grateful that teapot #1 has received the P.J. Williams Award: for innovative design in gold and silversmithing – holloware, flatware or sculptural objects at the BUDA 2009 10th Biennial Silver Exhibition – this provides some encouragement that it is possible to design another teapot
more on the struggles of teapot #3 to come – the design has advanced past that point shown above but spout and handle options have diverged along two very separate paths…..
teapothead shakes – there’s much to improve on this first effort – so much is lost in translation
two strange siblings but here they are
poor little #2 (on the right) did not receive as much attention as #1 – it does show, especially in the handles (stay tuned for a reworking of at least the lid handle)
plus the position of the spout does impact on capacity (in both teapots) and the ease with which the last cup is poured – design of #3 must begin soon
teapothead, who has been quiescent during the last few weeks of crazed teapot making, stirs …
after a long day of slim progress towards teapot #2, teapothead feels adrift – it’s all talk and insufficient skill – sigh
when even teapothead is feeling like there’s no point continuing, it is very difficult for anyone else to keep going
this teapot, this new teapot #1, is functional as a vessel for steeping tea leaves and pouring tea
but what other functions can it serve? it could also serve as a focus for reflection or contemplation – teapothead considers this is a legitimate function – not that this teapot is necessarily capable of serving that function
what would happen if a line of small fruit-bats, hanging from under the handle, were included?
but let’s be frank – are teapots just out of date – have they been surpassed, like the machine, by this digital life?
teapothead thinks maybe this is so but also believes another way is possible – how can we reconnect with the teapot?
interaction is one way – what would we need to add to the teapot to make it a more approachable object with more than one function?
in these uncertain times, we all fidget
teapot #1 has come to life – from the model to an (almost) finished teapot
actually making the teapot leads to minor changes, some pleasing, others less so
teapothead says accept the pleasure of seeing the teapot come to life but retain a critical eye – try to understand what is good in the teapot (and contains the essence of “Six Persimmons”) and what could be improved
understanding being the key
on 29 august 2008 Jade made the comment:
“I think it is very possible to approach any creative endeavor with humility, as long as there is truth in what you create. If you are willing to reveal yourself honestly in your work, (whatever it is), you are stripping off your mask. I think this takes courage and humility because such an act puts vanity aside.
A silver teapot may be a symbol of wealth but this is a value assigned to it by human conceit on account of the beauty, rarity and indestructibility of silver. Its only intrinsic value is as a utensil for containing and dispensing liquid. You could say I guess, that this is its true worth.
But the artist’s gift in shaping and polishing the silver can make it into something as beautiful as it is functional and beauty has a value in itself. It makes the world shine more brightly and lifts up the hearts of people. An appreciation of beauty belongs to rich and poor alike.
I see nothing vain or arrogant in an artist setting out to make something which is true and beautiful just for the love of it alone.”
something about the assignation of value resonates with teapothead’s thinking on art and design – it is a mistake to accept definitions without stripping them back to understand the essential underlying concept
all this uncertainty is good – teapothead knows that the path to refining and refining a design only comes with understanding
you have to know what you are doing – what is design?
forget definitions, or even distinctions between art and design, they can be helpful but also distracting
the old western definition of art is suffocating – and not something teapothead aspires to – “out with the word art” teapothead says
design – by its very difficult to define nature shows more promise as a starting point for working out a course for a life’s pursuit
more on this later – teapothead does emphasise that it must be understood
