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