Stoneware・Slip・Wood-fired

Taiwanese artist Liao Guo Hua’s mastery of his craft yields pots rich with personality. Smooth, clean throw lines draw his pots up or out, signifying stateliness or gravity, respectively, and each meticulous tilt of handle or spout adds to the individual narrative of the piece.

It’s easy to see the directional draft of wood ash over this pot, as dark streaks slide down the sides breaking like a speckled egg over the lid and shoulder. It is a study in texture, and catalog of the kiln’s varied and unpredictable results, stretched across the subtly rising throw lines from the potter’s wheel, and finishing in a glass-like drip gathered at the handles bottom edge. The delicate finial mirrors the rise of the pot, an invitation to be lifted, and filled with a heaping scoop of tea.

Usage and care: Unglazed wood-fired pieces will season very slowly over time, though limited porosity allows for use of different tea  types. The exterior of the teapot will deepen in color and develop a rich luster with use. Hand-wash only, without soap or detergent.

Approximate dimensions: 78mm tall, 66mm diameter, 110ml・Artist: 廖國華