The enigma of the humble teapot

More than 30 ceramic and glass artists from a national geographical spread entered works in the 2010 Teapot Competition Exhibition hosted and curated by Fusions in October.

The scope of works in the two sections of the competition, functional and non-functional teapots covered a plethora of styles from modernist, traditional, ethnic, frivolous, conceptual, hybrids and the political, along with a variety of glazing and construction techniques.

Teapots are steeped in cultural traditions from eastern, Japanese and Chinese ceremonial derivatives to the western, centre of social, family and daily dietary experiences of far-flung British colonies.
Conceptually because of their many appendages, teapots lend themselves to Alice in Wonderland, humanoid, animal and almost everything else interpretations – hence they are a great vehicle for artistic ceramic and glass expression.

National award-winning ceramicist Dianne Peach judged the Teapot Competition Exhibition displayed at Gallery Nona, Brisbane Institute of Art, from 29 October to 10 November.

Of the non-functional exhibits, Sunshine Coast potter Steven Roberts drew inspiration from stone quarries for his flat, craggy surfaced, layered clay, white glazed, solid Landscape teapot.

Kim Aitken’s Cordiali Tea enigmatic bird teapot is a combination of white porcelain clay slip construction decorated with random decal stripes embedded with twisted metal eating utensil forks.

Sam Keane’s long cylindrical rolled clay, Celebration of Life teapot is decorated in a Harlequin theme, with incising and painted underglazes, for a high fired clear glaze stoneware finish.

Jo Dickson-Undercliffe drew on the historical ethnic origins of the 16thC Ichan teapots from the Mustan region of Thailand for her highly stylised unglazed earthenware teapot with white slip stamped lettering and Moorish shaped appendages.

Jaelene Durrand submitted two glass works – one a squashed flat clear glass teapot resting on a black molded glass stand. The other a joyous colourful, abstract, fused glass, marine image called Jelly Fish.

From the Sunshine Coast, the winner of the non-functional section Carol Forster's entry is influenced by the besser block breeze wall found in Queensland holiday homes and repository for all those ‘found’ treasures. Forster has replicated a breeze wall, or shadow box in miniature from combed unglazed raku clay. In stark contrast, she has fashioned superbly delicate, lyrical, white porcelain individually different tiny seashell teapots, that also have elements of crocheted tea cozies. These are arranged in the walled frames. The functional teapots also offered great variety.

South Australian potter Angela Walford’s piece 'Shino Teapot' with its rounded body, wide flat top, bung handles and small elevated spout offered a new dimension in teapot design. Its earthy shino glaze and bold slashes of white slip added to the simplicity of style.

Fellow Adelaidian Jan Twyerould exhibited her trademark beautifully thrown black matt glazed porcelain teapots with colourful striped stencil, air brushed decoration.

Brisbane potter Linda Back’s traditional teapots with cane handles proved very popular with buyers. The subtle sprayed cobalt, iron and magnesium dry glaze on one of the teapots enhanced its truism.

The outstanding winner of the functional section was an unpretentious, masterly teapot by ACT potter Chris Harford whose dribbled green treacle glaze looked completely spontaneous, however was anything but. The way it pooled into a definitive dark rim base and articulated the spout and handle from the body, defined the vertical patterning and horizontal banding was in analysis purposefully executed for a harmony of decoration and function seldom witnessed.