Time for Tea?

Time For Tea?

A Show of Teapots by Hugh West & Teapot Inspired Artworks by a Selection of Gallery Artists

Time for Tea? Our show leads with a collection of 25 teapots by potter

East, where tea drinking carries with it an added layer of

Hugh West, who celebrated his 50th year in ceramics

ritual and cultural significance.

this autumn. In that time, Hugh has made thousands of

Tea drinking is said to have originated in China more than

individual teapots, supplying designer outlets such as

3,000 years ago. Legend has it that in 2737 BC, Chinese

Harrods, Heals, Liberty of London and John Lewis.

Emperor Shen Nung was served boiled water while sitting

“Each teapot should have its very own tea,” says

beneath a Camellia sinensis tree, and its leaves blew into

Hugh, “so that in time, the teapot takes on the unique

his cup. The resulting infusion is what we now call tea. The

characteristics of its particular variety.” Accordingly,

hot beverage increased in popularity in China during the

each of his teapots is unique in design, celebrating the

Tang Dynasty of 618 AD to 908 AD and is now consumed

flavours and scents of individual tea varieties from around

daily around the world.

the world including jasmine, oolong, yunnan, rose, hand-

We Brits are famously obsessed with tea, and this stems

rolled green and white tea, and a special green tea grown

back to the marriage of Charles II to the Portuguese

by Hugh’s long-time friend, respected Korean potter

princess Catherine of Braganza in 1661. Catherine loved

Seungho Yang.

tea above all things, quickly establishing it as a fashionable

Hugh’s porcelain teapots are hand- thrown on the wheel,

drink at court and among the wealthy classes. In perhaps

and each handle is custom-made in clay or rattan with

the most lucrative business move in history, the British

raffia fixings. In addition, each teapot is accompanied by

East India Company took note and placed its very first

a tea bowl or ‘yunomi’, a traditional Japanese teacup that

order for China tea in 1664, monopolising its import from

fits snugly in both hands without a handle.

then onwards for more than a century.

This oriental reference is important in Western ceramics,

Formal teapots had first been created in China during

since both tea and its accoutrements originated in the

the Sung dynasty in 1500 AD, and in 1694 the British

Teapot and Tea Bowl Porcelain Teapot: 27cm x 13cm x 16cm | Tea Bowl: 8cm x 4.5cm x 8cm WE584 | £205

East India Company began importing porcelain teapots

It goes without saying that a teapot’s key function

from China, commissioning artists to create them to the

can never come second to its form or finish, however

company’s own design. Allegedly, since porcelain can

beautiful. “It must pour well,” Hugh confirms. We’ve surely

withstand sea water damage, teapots were used on East

all encountered the ‘dribblesome teapot’, which ruins the

India Company ships for ballast in the cargo area, making

calming ritual of afternoon tea; equally galling perhaps,

the ships more stable during their voyage and keeping

is the realisation that a guest in our home is unknowingly

the tea stored above safe and dry.

using our own, special teacup. It is this feeling of ritual

In the mid-18th century, British industrialist William Cookworthy discovered kaolin, aka China Clay, in St

and personalisation that makes the teapot significant and relevant to us all.

Austell, pioneering the English porcelain industry and

Also on show alongside Hugh’s works are specially

producing English teapots influenced by Chinese designs;

commissioned paintings of teapots by artists including

the East India Company subsequently stopped importing

Port Isaac’s Caroline Cleave, printmakers Sarah Seddon

porcelain from China in 1791.

and Sally Spens, painter Suki Wapshott (selected last year

While the history of the teapot has developed over 500

for the Royal Society of Marine Artists’ Annual Exhibition

years, its classic design has hardly changed: it simply

at Mall Galleries London), and highly collectable artist

includes a pot, a spout, a lid and a handle. But variations

Simeon Stafford, whose quirky, wittily British works are

on its design, from an Art Deco Clarice Cliff teapot to

included in the private collection of HM Queen Elizabeth

the world’s most valuable teapot - the £3 million ‘Egoist’,

II. As an exhibition concept it sounds perfectly delicious.

pavéd with diamonds and rubies - have been many and

Time for tea, anyone?

wondrous. “The process of making a handmade teapot, though, is lengthy and requires skill,” says Hugh.

Words by Mercedes Smith

Teapot and Tea Bowl

Teapot and Tea Bowl

Porcelain Teapot: 12cm x 19cm x 12cm | Tea Bowl: 6cm x 4cm x 6cm WE585 | £185

Porcelain Teapot: 14cm x 34cm x 10cm | Tea Bowl: 8.5cm x 5cm x 8.5cm WE586 | £185

Tea by the Sea Suki Wapshott Oil on Linen Canvas | 70cm x 70cm £2,500

Teapot and Tea Bowl

Teapot and Tea Bowl

Porcelain Teapot: 15cm x 19cm x 10cm | Tea Bowl: 7cm x 5cm x 7cm WE587 | £185

Porcelain Teapot: 16cm x 33cm x 12cm | Tea Bowl: 8.5cm x 4.5cm x 8.5cm WE588 | £285

Afternoon Tea Simeon Stafford Oil on Board | 44cm x 60cm £2,750

Teapot and Tea Bowl Porcelain Teapot: 19cm x 11cm x 13cm | Tea Bowl: 9cm x 5cm x 9cm WE589 | £205

Teapot and Tea Bowl Porcelain Teapot: 19.5cm x 13.5cm x 13.5cm | Tea Bowl: 7.5cm x 6cm x 7.5cm WE590 | £245

Teapot and Tea Bowl

Teapot and Tea Bowl

Porcelain Teapot:10.5cm x 17.5cm x 9cm | Tea Bowl: 5cm x 5.5cm x 5cm WE592 | £165

Porcelain Teapot:13.5cm x 21cm x 11cm | Tea Bowl: 7.5cm x 8cm x 7.5cm WE591 | £205

Storm in a Teacup

Cornish Brew

Caroline Cleave Acrylic and Mixed Media on Canvas | 20cm x 20cm £385

Caroline Cleave Acrylic and Mixed Media on Canvas | 20cm x 20cm £385

Teapot and Tea Bowl Porcelain Teapot: 20cm x 14.5cm x 14cm | Tea Bowl: 7.5cm x 5.5cm x 7.5cm WE593 | £245

Still Life with Biscuit Tin Ian Hargreaves Oil on Canvas | 58.5cm x 38.5cm £2,950

Teapot and Tea Bowl

Teapot and Tea Bowl

Porcelain Teapot: 15cm x 30cm x 12.5cm | Tea Bowl: 7.5cm x 6cm x 7.5cm WE594 | £285

Porcelain Teapot: 11.5cm x 18cm x 9.5cm | Tea Bowl: 5cm x 4.8cm x 5cm WE595 | £175

Teapot and Tea Bowl Porcelain Teapot: 18cm x 14cm x 14cm | Tea Bowl: 8.5cm x 5.5cm x 8.5cm WE596 | £245

Teapot and Tea Bowl Porcelain Teapot: 14cm x 20cm x 12cm | Tea Bowl: 6.7cm x 4.7cm x 6.7cm WE597 | £185

Teapot with Leaping Fish Simeon Stafford Oil on Board | 121cm x 60cm £6,000

Teapot and Tea Bowl

Teapot

Porcelain Teapot: 15.5cm x 29cm x 11.5cm | Tea Bowl: 8cm x 6cm x 8cm WE598 | £285

Porcelain Teapot: 28.5cm x 16cm x 16cm WE599 | £200

Tea with Clarice & Tea with Sonia Series Sally Spens Etching hand painted with watercolour | 24cm x 24cm Mounted: £175 | Framed: £295

Teapot

Teapot

Porcelain Teapot: 14.5cm x 20cm x 10.5cm WE600 | £150

Porcelain Teapot: 13.5cm x 7.5cm x 8.5cm WE601 | £150

Flavoured Tea Series Sarah Seddon Drypoint | 20cm x 17cm Mounted: £155 | Framed: £270

Mugs

Three Teapots

Sarah Seddon Etching with Aquatint | 27.5cm x 20cm Mounted: £175 | Framed £295

Sarah Seddon Drypoint | 20cm x 17cm Mounted: £345 | Framed: £480

Teapot and Tea Bowl Porcelain Teapot: 15cm x 28.5cm x 12cm | Tea Bowl: 7.5cm x 9cm x 7.5cm WE602 | £285

Teapot and Tea Bowl Porcelain Teapot: 12cm x 22cm x 9.5cm | Tea Bowl: 8.5cm x 4.5cm x 8.5cm WE603 | £185

Curiouser and Curiouser Suki Wapshott Oil on Linen Canvas | 50cm x 50cm £1,250

Teapot and Tea Bowl

Teapot and Tea Bowl

Porcelain Teapot: 12.5cm x 33cm x 9.5cm | Tea Bowl: 8.5cm x 4.5cm x 8.5cm WE604 | £185

Porcelain Teapot: 12cm x 25cm x 9cm | Tea Bowl: 8.5cm x 4.5cm x 8.5cm WE605 | £205

Teapot and Tea Bowl Porcelain Teapot: 20cm x 11.5cm x 14cm | Tea Bowl: 7cm x 4.5cm x 7cm WE606 | £245

Teapot and Tea Bowl

Teapot

Porcelain Teapot: 13cm x 21.5cm x 11cm | Tea Bowl: 7.5cm x 4.5cm x 7.5cm WE607 | £205

Porcelain Teapot: 12cm x 13cm x 9.5cm WE608 | £150

Teapot with View Simeon Stafford Oil on Board | 60cm x 44.5cm £2,750

Teapot Porcelain Teapot: 15cm x 17cm x 11cm WE609 | £150

Tea for Two

Tea Shanty

Caroline Cleave Acrylic and Mixed Media on Canvas | 50cm x 50cm £825

Caroline Cleave Drypoint Monotype | 58cm x 47cm £1,000

Assorted Tea Bowls Porcelain Price: £30 to £100 each

The P ar ad e , Pol ze a th , Co rn wa l l , P L 2 7 6 S R 01208 869301 | art@whitewatercontemporary.co.uk www.whitewatercontemporary.co.uk @Whitewatercontemporary