Why Teapots are important. Why Robert Lugo makes teapots.
Wexler Gallery
Roberto Lugo is an American artist, ceramicist, social activist, poet, and educator. Lugo uses porcelain as his medium of choice, illuminating its aristocratic surface with imagery of poverty, inequality, and social and racial injustice. Lugo’s works are multicultural mash-ups, traditional European and Asian porcelain forms and techniques re imagined with a 21st-century street sensibility.
Roberto Lugo is an American artist, ceramicist, social activist, poet, and educator. Lugo uses porcelain as his medium of choice, illuminating its aristocratic surface with imagery of poverty, inequality, and social and racial injustice. Lugo’s works are multicultural mash-ups, traditional European and Asian porcelain forms and techniques re imagined with a 21st-century street sensibility.
Teapot Anatomy
Parts of a Teapot
- Handle – Probably the most important part of the teapot as without it holding the teapot would be very difficult. A well-constructed handle will enable you to easily operate the teapot.
- Thumb piece – Located at the top of/on the handle of a teapot, providing a support for your thumb, promoting a sturdy grip and providing more control when pouring.
- Foot – Essential for steadying the teapot. Teapot feet can come in various styles and shapes. When it comes to silver teapots feet styles you may come across are:
- Circular foot – a continuous foot going around the base of the teapot in a circular shape
- Bracket style feet – single feet interconnected via an integrated cross piece.
- Ball style feet – sphere shaped feet
- Bun style feet – oblate (flattened) sphere shaped feet
- Hoof style feet – like animals’ hooves
- Body – The hollow body holds the water, providing a receptacle within which the tea may ‘brew’. Size and volume of the body will vary, as will the form.
- Spout – The shaped funnel through which the tea is poured and directed. The majority of antique teapots have an integrated strainer, located at the junction of the body and spout.
- Cover – When removed, the cover of a teapot allows access into the teapot, in which water and tea leaves (or in the modern day, tea bags) can be placed.
- Shoulders – These may be embellished for decorative purposes.
- Finial – A finial, sometimes referred to as a ‘knob’, is a relatively small terminal to the center of the cover. A finial allows the user to lift the cover with ease