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Teapot fit for occasion

Across many cultures, the preparing, brewing and sharing of tea is a ritual of ancient and often sacred origins. Tea time is a time for many things, and it is difficult to fathom how many moments, intimate and historical, have been brokered over a brew.

Otago-based ceramicist Marion Mewburn makes teapots fit for such occasions. Colourful, eccentric and intricately sculpted, her wares are worlds in their own right.

Taking the core elements of a functional teapot – a spout, lid, and handle – Mewburn pushes the form to its limits, adorning them with detailed relief work featuring a menagerie of animals, crafting lids sprouting bouquets of flowers and handles that look like Cheshire Cat tails. Indeed, all of her creations look fit for a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

Mewburn began making teapots in 1996. She throws the main body of the vessel on the potter’s wheel, and sculpts the attachments and decorations by hand. The teapot body doubles as a canvas for Mewburn. Each is like a spread in a storybook, from which more details emerge on every pour.

A collection of her teapots are exhibited and available for purchase at the

Aigantighe Art Gallery as part of the annual RSM Plunket Art Show. She is one of 37 New Zealand artists with work in the show, which comprises over 170 artworks in a variety of media. Sales from the exhibition support Plunket’s work in the Timaru District. The exhibition ends tomorrow.

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2022-05-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/282424172844014

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