10/10/2026
Yesterday I made my first-ever attempts at wheel throwing teapots! In a clear moment while throwing off the hump, it was as if the spinning clay had asked to be made into teapots.
So the parts for these two teapots were made from a single ball of clay: a combination of orange, red, and white stonewares.
Making them in this way means the marbled color tones in each piece will match but have different patterns! I'm paitently looking forward to seeing how they look when the marbled pattern is exposed after trimming.
And even more so, I'm curious how the final vessles will look and function once assembled:
Will I like the way the different marbled parts come together? How well will they function? Will I make more once I find out? Only time will tell!
Either way, I believe this is an important step for me as a potter and craftsperson.
Making teapots is relatively new for me, they have always been intimidating to me as there are so many things to consider when making these types of vessles to ensure they function well.
Before this attempt, in my ten years of potting I had only ever hand-built two teapots, both pit-fired and made from wild clay exclusively for my own daily tea practice.
The first was fairly functional, and I spent a year using it before attempting another. The year of use provided much insight on how to improve my next one.
And the second hand-built teapot was exceptionally functional and I was overjoyed with my results.
In sitting for tea with these two hand-built teapots over the past many months, I have developed such a love and high regard for the vessle that is the teapot, and it's function.
And so I'm happy to finally be attempting to make marbled teapots that are intended for other's use!
It's very different than how I made my first 2 teapots in so many ways, and it feels good.
