Swirl, No. 1

Unglazed Stoneware・5 day wood-fired

This teabowl uses a mixture of two distinct clays - an iron-rich American clay and a lighter Taiwanese clay - to achieve contrasting ribbons of color. The bowl was hand-thrown, and continuously fired in a wood-burning kiln for 5 days.

This is a mid-sized tea bowl, with a slight uneven top edge. A shallow foot, carved with the artist’s signature, finishes the bowl. The contrasting color bands are most apparent on the underside, but lighter bands peek through on the side of the bowl. This bowl was pre-seasoned by the artist, simmered in tea for several days to give it a rich patina and sheen.

About Tea Bowls

In Japan, tea bowls are traditionally used to drink whisked powdered tea (matcha). In Taiwan, they are often used to drink loose leaf tea. We've adopted this latter approach. It's quite simple - and works wonders on most of our teas.

Simply warm a tea bowl, add tea leaves, and add water. We suggest using 1 to 2 grams less tea than our normal recommended dosage, and filling the bowl 2/3 of the way to the top. Adding a slow steady stream of the water over the leaves also help the leaves settle to the bottom. Steep until leaves have just opened. Sip, and add more water if necessary.

Drinking tea from a bowl is both casual, and elegant. It's also a very personal and comforting experience.

Approximate dimensions: 65mm tall, 100mm diameter, 280ml volume・Artist: 廖國華