This exhibition features a selection of 100 ceramic tea ware sets by 78 local potters, chosen from entries in the tea ware competition held in November 2009. The exhibits include works from the Open and the School categories – and not just the winners are amazing, actually the majority of pots and cups is very beautiful and attractive to look at.
The exhibition in the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware continues until May 16, 2011 – so try and have a look for yourself!
Let’s start with a more traditional looking teapot and cup, with a beautiful red koi:
Of course, it’s a competition, so it’s about creativity and innovation – and there are a lot of different tea sets to look at:
Here is a lovely elegant concept, a pair drinking tea is the teapot and there are two little tables with a cup of tea on each table – I like that it’s kept in white and looks so simple and elegant!
For gamers and gamblers: a tea service to play tic tac toe with…
On the other end of the scale are really colorful, extravagant sets, which look nothing like a normal tea service anymore. Actually, they look like a piece of art. If I would not have known that this is a tea service, with the star fish and mussels/reef:
Fitting in with the underwater theme is this set, which won the third prize in the school category. It’s creative, and according to the video interview shown at the exhibition, it was very difficult to produce as the octopus arms kept falling off!
And more beach-themed entries, this time a sand castle and some rocks:
There was a whole category with entries in animal form, the hen with the little chicks caught my eye:
Here is the set, which secured the second prize in the open category. It’s nice, but not as extravagant as some as the other ones I’ve seen. But I guess, it’s also the functionality and quality that counts – and this set looks perfect!
The winner in the open category is very creative – a crumpled air mail letter, which forms a tea cup!
