First cup under The Global Tea Hut

Today, early morning, there was summer gift of spring tea leaves in my cup. Late autumn or early winter time... First snow is mixed with drying leaves

First, I heated water
and fill the cup to half.
Then leaves and more water follow.

Then breathe in and breathe out till leaves have started to dive.

First sip - sweet

Second sip - fragrant

and the third... I am happy.

This happines has arrived to my cup thru Global Tea Hut. Have you try it?

Thank you for reading!

Barcelona Tea House

Every year, we travel a bit. Probably less then we would like to, but studio keeps us busy. Despite the fact that we call those trips Holiday it somehow usually includes ceramic or/and tea world. Last year it was Festival of Fire in France, this year we visited our friend Antonio, who runs the tearoom named  Čaj Chai Tearoom. 

But first, let make stop at empty beaches. Living in landlocked Czech Rep, enjoying sea is always more then welcome...

Our plans for (our first) Barcelona visit were quite simple: art museums, old city downtown and the tearoom. Antonio asked us to bring selection of new teaware for his customers. We have also arranged small ceramic workshop. A opportunity for those, who would like to get closer look to how we work. This Sunday workshop had two parts. First there was demonstration of "how I finish a teapot".  I showed live, how spout and handle are made - how basic body is changed to the final teapot. There was small, but very enthusiastic group of people, so it was quite easy to talk about types of clays, glazes, firings for more then two hours.

The second part of the event was focused on preparing water on charcoal. Yes, I like this topic. Mirka started to work on stoves more regularly. I create kettles. I still keep testing all of them and it helps me to get more experiences on this field. So the topic of this "charcoal workshop" was not only to show some of our stoves-kettles, but especially to share those experiences. It was fun to watch how people are fascinating by fire. We light up two stoves and tried to boil water in ceramic as well as in glass teapot. I was glad that the tearoom was just lightly scented by charcoal aroma and not smoked - the oak charcoal I brought was good quality. I prepared several infusions of young sheng. After second infusion, a participant in front of me has declared "I never liked pu-ehr. But this one is very tasty! I am going to give it another chance".

If you will be in Barcelona one day, I would recomment to stop by. Despite of the name of the tearoom Čaj Chai (chai- the Indien mixture of red tea and spices) you will find there wide selection of exellent teas. I can confirm that after seeing Juan Miró, Pablo Pissaso or Antonio Gaudi a cup of Ali Shan oolong is going to round off your day in very pleasant way.


Thank you for reading!

Two new Gems

I am late! I am so late that I already have two new Gems to share. First was fired in July, second one then on the end of September. Both teapots have similar nature. Both are glazed in smooth, celadon crackle glaze. But recipes are different and what is more, I have used different clays. It gives you, my inquiring readers, opportunity to compare two siblings. Each has not only different look but also their energy is unique.

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.

Preparing this post, I get into predictable problem. I am not able to take pictures of such light and shiny pieces. At least I am not fully satisfied with any of those shots I made. So, please, use piece of your imagination to  get whole and real image.

Gem Number Six- Luminous 

Gem Number Seven- Quarry Under Jade Water

Thanks for the reading!

Patty-pan Squash Teapot

We held three ceramic workshops this summer. Rather busy time with many new people and new experiences in our house and studio. The last class was focused on making molds from products of nature as apples, pumpkins, cantaloupes...This class was the only one where an external instructor was needed. When it comes to plaster then we know just basics. Fortunately our friend Ola Hořavová has studied those techniques on ceramic high school and continued on university. She also uses molds and hendbuild techniques in her own ceramic work. She have shared her knowledge with our students for almost a week. All students worked hard (we made them to:)). Thanks to big enthusiasm of all participants we round off the week by firing of our small woodkiln. Clicking here, you are going to open picasa album with many pictures from the event.

 On pictures below you can see one of patty-pan teapots I have made during my demonstration on the workshop. Body of this teapot was shaped in plaster mold. I will probably not use this technique for my own, regular production (at least, not any time soon). Nevertheless, work on teapots this way was more then interesting experience. Teaching how to make teapot I have learn not just how to work with plaster. It also help me to keep my eyes open to shapes growing around us. It is always beneficial to see your own work from another perspective and this was the case. Big thanks to Ola, and to all creative people around us!

Here it sample fresh sheng from Youle...

The Patty-pan which was used for making mold of this teapot was eaten:) So those two are here just for their beauty.

Thanks for reading!