Gem Number Five- Nebulae

The series of new ware, from which I have chosen these cups to my Gem Collection, was inspired by Korean Boncheon ( Punch'ong) ware. I like the simplicity and humble energy  which radiate from many Korean buncheong pieces I had a chance to meet. And this energy is what I was going for. These cups are even darker and maybe more distinct then I thought they will be. On other hand cups are soft and pleasant to hold. Looking to any of those cups, you can easily be conquered by your imagination and travel far away...

For more pictures of the set please visit this page. If this "Ten Gem of Ten Kilns" project is new for you, then read this post first.

Thank you for reading!

Czech Yixing- part two

Attentive readers of this blog maybe remember- there was 1,3kg of the Zi Ni clay delivered to my workshop and for first three teapots I have used only half of it. We unloaded kiln with the rest of the clay in it several days ago. As you probably already anticipate, I have remodeled it in to teapots. This time, I have tried to make them smaller and with different shapes.

But first, take a look at few pictures from loading of the kiln...

Some small stoneware teapots, partly glazed by Nuka...

Smallest teapot from the Czech YiXing serie...

Finally there is enough horsetail growing around so I can use it for decoration  on our pots ( you can't find  that weed during winter)

Black Magda Teapot- slip glaze (which we call "Black Magda") on porcelain body...

Thick Nuka glaze- kind of ash glaze. Yes, it is the one which you can see on "Gem Number One"

Here you can see two of those "YiXing" teapots...in coldest part of our kiln.

And the same part of the kiln after firing...

And finally, here you can judge all four "Czech YiXing" teapots I made...

For more pictures of these, please visit this picasa album

 It was pleasure to get know and work with this clay. I hope that those teapots will bring pleasure to their new owners and are going to make their teas better.

Thank you for reading!

Concubine oolong from Lu Shan

Since my last post, I have several topics to write about. I have enjoyed many teas, worked on tea ware as well as on our garden- all this was stired by wonderful but speedy spring time. It created many stories but has taken all my free time. 

When I have an early morning tea I rather stay focused on the teapot then switch on my PC to write about it. This post is going to be short too and with just few impressions from one of several teas I recently had. There will be another "pots post" soon. So please, stay tune...

During sunny days I take my teatable on our terrace...

This tea arrived (with many others) from Stéphane couple of weeks ago. When it comes to oolongs I am still more on the darker, more roasted or ripe side. In most cases, those too green-sweet-fragrant ones does not fit to my stomach. So when I was opening the first vacuum package of it I was very, very curious. I was not quite sure what to expect. Albeit label on the package indicates many things...


Here is what the label says:  Tea- Gao Shan Concubine Oolong
                                          Origin- Lu Shan (1600 m), Taiwan
                                          Harvest- Fall 2011 (August 25th)
And one shot of dry leaves...

  Dry, rolled leaves smell pleasantly sweet with light roasted tones. But already preheated leaves show more of the roast and I am happy about it. It is very close to some more fragrant Wui oolongs. Tastes and aromas have very interesting progression thru brews. It is still sweet. But during first brews it is more honey-nutty, then it goes thru honey-fruity phase, to honey-flowery.

 This tea is like a very fine mixture of three characters- roasted oolong (wui, hungshui), darker Oriental Beaty and floral, light, Gao Shan. When I sniff wet leaves "Wui-HungShui" aspect dominate. When I sniff to infusion I smell Oriental Beauty. And when I sniff to empty cup there is thousand flowers in it. In my mouth all those aspects are mixed together in to very pleasant nectar. And probably the best part is that it fits to my body. It is strong, energizing tea but without trowing out of balance effect on my stomach.

An unconventional tea jar- gift from my friend and colleague...

As all higher quality oolongs this tea lasts for many infusions. If you will have a change to try it then I can recommend to make it "all-inclusive"- with good, on charcoal heated water, in proper tea ware and with your full but relaxed attention. Then it can make you day as it made my.



Thank you for reading!