Glazed Stoneware・Wood-fired

Art mimics life mimics art. From the personal collection of Taiwanese master potter, Liao Guo Hua, we present fifteen new tea bowls spanning years’ of the artists work, each vessel painted with brushstrokes of ash and flame, an imprecise and wholly organic process unique to wood firings.

And while the nature of a kiln is unpredictable, we see mirrored in the dripping and burnished hues of these pots the same ethereal touch of atmospheric oil painters, famous for their renderings of weather, earth, and sea. Incorporating iron-rich grog into the clay body, Guo Hua primes his canvas with texture.

Here, shadow gives way to pinpricks of light as iron rises through the glaze, characteristic of Goya’s Black Paintings, celebrating myths both ancient and contemporary. Spots of iron in the clay body rise to the surface, the same copper hue as an itaglio plate. Liao Guo Hua’s deft hand and vast knowledge of his kiln’s temperament, form the canvas for these tactile masterpieces to glow.

About Tea Bowls

In Taiwan, tea bowls are often used to drink loose leaf tea. 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. Fill the bowl 2/3 of the way to the top. Pour a steady stream of water over the leaves to help them settle to the bottom. Steep until leaves have just opened. Sip, and add more water if necessary.

Usage and care: Hand-wash only, without soap or detergent.

Approximate dimensions: 80mm tall, 110mm diameter, 290ml・Artist: 廖國華