The 2012 TACA Biennial: The Best of Tennessee Craft exhibit showcases the fine craft of Tennessee, providing public visibility and recognition for the quality and diversity of craft found throughout the state. This juried exhibit was held at the Tennessee State Museum, with cash awards presented including Best in Show.
Best of the Best: Tennessee Artist Kem Alexander is Best of Show!
Kem Alexander secures the title of Best of Show for the 2012 TACA Biennial: The Best of Tennessee Craft. Juror Martha Connell presented the award in front of a room filled with artists, politicians, media and lovers of craft at the public reception for the exhibition held in the Changing Galleries of the Tennessee State Museum in September, 2012.
TACA’s Executive Director, Teri Alea, shares, “We are thrilled for Kem and what this means for her career. The exhibit and awards nurture artists’ passion, honor their work and support their goals. Each piece and artist in the show represents an important contribution to Tennessee’s craft legacy.”
With the finest Tennessee craft on display, Connell exclaimed, “It was a difficult task selecting the Best of Show! Its subtitle, ‘The Best of Tennessee Craft’ is an apt tribute to the visual feast thatis created by the works of the participating artists. I spent much time viewing each piece carefully, fully appreciating the labor of love that went into the making of each object.” In addition to Best of Show, Connell awarded Cindy Billingsley (Franklin, TN), Emily Eversgerd (Telford, TN), Tim Hintz (Smithville, TN), and Jennifer Sargent (Memphis, TN) with Merit Awards for their work in clay, metal, wood and fiber, respectively.
The 2012 TACA Biennial: The Best of Tennessee Craft features 63 artists from every corner of the state. The 100 handcrafted works juried into the show were all made in the last two years. This unique requirement offers a snapshot of Tennessee craft today, as well as its future.
Field of Flowers
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Mixed Media 2D
Dimensions: 15 Inches (H) x 17 Inches (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: Photograph in the center with hand painted frame, acrylic on wood. Every frame is an original painting.
High Heel Lady Shoes
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Concrete/Metal
Dimensions: 5 Inches (H) x 3 Inches (W) x 10 Inches (D)
Description: High Heel Lady Shoes with metal tacks and wedge washers. Made in real shoes placing the metal tacks in the shoes before the concrete is packed. The heels were added after the shoes were cut away.
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Saving the Best-For-Last Winged Nut Lady Boots
Year Created: 2012
Medium: concrete/metal
Dimensions: 7.5 Inches (H) x 3.25 Inches (W) x 9.75 Inches (D)
Description: """""""Saving the Best for Last Wing Nut Lady Boots"""" with 3 stacked metal hex nuts heels were built from real boots with metal parts placed before the boots were packed except the heels and coloring which were added after the boot was cut away."""
Bright Fantasy Teapot
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Porcelain, GLaze, Silver Luster
Dimensions: 6.5 Inches (H) x 7 Inches (W) x 4.5 Inches (D)
Description:
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Cream and Sugar
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Prcelain, Black Stoneware, Luster
Dimensions: 5 Inches (H) x 6.5 Inches (W) x 4 Inches (D)
Description: Creamer and Sugar are thrown on potter's wheel, tray is hand-build and carved on underside.
Gritty factory tubes
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Digital photo
Dimensions: 20 Inches (H) x 20 Inches (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: Gritty tubes climbing an abandoned flour factory wall in Montreal, P.Q.
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Train to Nowhere
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Photograph
Dimensions: 30 Inches (H) x 40 Inches (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: In El Paso at a Copper Smelting plant.
Tea Set 203
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Stoneware clay with screen print and relief
Dimensions: 10 Inches (H) x 11 Inches (W) x 4 Inches (D)
Description:
Botanical
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Black opalescent glass with iridized glass
Dimensions: 24 Inches (H) x 15 Inches (W) x .25 Inches (D)
Description: """Fused black opalescent glass with tack-fired iridized and dichroic glass """"botanical"""", decorated and fired with 22K gold luster. """
Transformation3
Year Created: 2011
Medium: clay
Dimensions: 25 Inches (H) x 10 Inches (W) x 8 Inches (D)
Description: surreal figure of a lady with her legs turning into two giraffes. This is the third and large version of this idea. Hand built clay sculpture, low fired, and cold finish.
Cotton Farmhouse
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Photography
Dimensions: 16 Inches (H) x 20 Inches (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: HDR High deffinition resolution color photo of a cotton farmhouse on a warm sunny day in Murfreesboro TN.
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Kingstonsprings Bridge
Year Created: 2010
Medium: Photography
Dimensions: 16 Inches (H) x 20 Inches (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: Infra red photo with a gold white balance of an old railraod bridge in Kingstonsprings TN.
Butterfly Dreams
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Carved and woodburned Gourd
Dimensions: 9 Inches (H) x 15 Inches (W) x 15 Inches (D)
Description: This gourd is carved and woodburned. Semi precious stones are inlaid into the gourd and the use of ink dyes added the color.
Beyond India
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Fiber: Hand Woven
Dimensions: 26 Inches (H) x 17 Inches (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: Handwoven Jacket with detachable scarf collar. Silk lined, Rayon Chenille. Original design.
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Autumn Leaves
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Fiber: Hand Woven
Dimensions: 82 Inches (H) x 25 Inches (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: Handwoven Shawl: alpaca, wool, silk. Advancing color interchange.
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Boardgame
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Fiber: Hand Woven
Dimensions: 26 Inches (H) x 17 Inches (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: Handwoven Jacket: alpaca, tencel, silk lined. Collapse weave and deflected cell weave structures. Original Design.
Historical Interpretation Neckpiece
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Jewelry
Dimensions: 12 Inches (H) x 5.5 Inches (W) x .032 Inches (D)
Description: Silhouette necklace hand-pierced from 20g brass then powder coated charcoal. Necklace design inspired by images and ideas of historical jewelry.
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Royal Necklace
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Jewelry
Dimensions: 15 Inches (H) x 6 Inches (W) x .032 Inches (D)
Description: Silhouette necklace hand-pierced from 20g brass then powder coated slate grey. Necklace design inspired by images and ideas of historical jewelry.
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Brooch 399
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Jewelry
Dimensions: 3.5 Inches (H) x 3.5 Inches (W) x .032 Inches (D)
Description: Silhouette brooch hand-pierced from 20g brass then powder coated slate grey. Brooch design inspired by images and ideas of historical jewelry and ornamentation.
Lacewood Crown
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Lacewood, Maple and solid surface material
Dimensions: 10 Inches (H) x 10 Inches (W) x 10 Inches (D)
Description: A lidded vessel constructed with solid surface material detailed with Lacewood framed in Maple topped off with Lacewood and a Maple finial.
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Walnut Rossville
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Woo
Dimensions: 7.5 Inches (H) x 5 Inches (W) x 5 Inches (D)
Description: My thoughts of a piece of Rossville Pottery made from Walnut and Maple. The blocks of Walnut under the vessel is where the vessels come from.
Vulcan's Crucible
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Maple Burl with White Oak Burl Pedestal
Dimensions: 10 Inches (H) x 25 Inches (W) x 19 Inches (D)
Description: This piece allows the wood it's own voice. The pedestal slightly raises and tilts the crucible to display the natural spines that were once hidden under the bark cap. A limb extends to serve as the crucible's pour.
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Maple Collectible Case
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Quilted Maple with Walnut accents
Dimensions: 10 Inches (H) x 20 Inches (W) x 10 Inches (D)
Description: Everyone collects something. This design accommodates collections..... jewelry, arrow heads, tie tacks, knives or memories. I enjoy collecting figured wood. This piece is from samples of my collection.
Rain Bottle
Year Created: 2011
Medium: clay
Dimensions: 9 Inches (H) x 5 Inches (W) x 5 Inches (D)
Description: clay vessel with applied sliptrail design, then primitive fired in sawdust resulting in the one of a kind unique fire clouds and colorful patinas
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Eye Of The Storm
Year Created: 2011
Medium: clay
Dimensions: 16 Inches (H) x 8 Inches (W) x 8 Inches (D)
Description: clay vessel incised and sliptrailed then primitive fired in sawdust after applying a copper pigment resulting in the unique fire clouds and colorful patinas
"""""""Heavy"""""""
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Stoneware and glass
Dimensions: 19 Inches (H) x 28 Inches (W) x 28 Inches (D)
Description: Stoneware table, hand built, carved, fired to cone 9.
Untitled
Year Created: 2011
Medium: wood
Dimensions: 21 Inches (H) x 7.75 Inches (W) x 7.75 Inches (D)
Description: bleached holly hollow form with ebonized collar and ebony finial
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Untitled
Year Created: 2011
Medium: wood
Dimensions: 19 Inches (H) x 7 Inches (W) x 7 Inches (D)
Description: Ambrosia Maple burl lidded hollow form with cocobolo collar and finial
Plume
Year Created: Spring 2011
Medium: Fine Silver, Rawhide, Copper, Leather, Steel
Dimensions: 4.5 Inches (H) x 7.5 Inches (W) x 1 Inches (D)
Description:
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Lunar Flare
Year Created: Fall 2010
Medium: copper, fine silver, rawhide
Dimensions: 13 Inches (H) x 9 Inches (W) x 1 Inches (D)
Description: the chain is hand-woven
Recycle: On the Road, Knoxville
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Fiber, handwoven
Dimensions: 42 Inches (H) x 23 Inches (W) x 8 Inches (D)
Description: Skirt, jacket and belt handwoven with used highway billboards and roadmaps. Embellished with used car keys, reflectors, keychain license tag etc.
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Recycle: On the Road, The Phoenix
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Fiber- handwoven
Dimensions: 48 Inches (H) x 23 Inches (W) x 8 Inches (D)
Description: Prarie dress - handwoven with used highway billboards and roadmaps. Embellished with cacti roadmaps maps of Phoenix as well as Phoenix city map on back of dress
Thoughts to a Friend in Red and White
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Raffia and Sewing Thread
Dimensions: 4 Inches (H) x 14 Inches (W) x 10 Inches (D)
Description:
The Gentleman Golfer
Year Created: 2011
Medium: wood
Dimensions: 12 Inches (H) x 4.5 Inches (W) x 6 Inches (D)
Description: Hand-carved wood figure, stained and mounted on 4.5 x 4.25 base.
Cabernet Winter Wine Vine Cabinet
Year Created: 2011
Medium: mahogany and maple
Dimensions: 41 Inches (H) x 16.25 Inches (W) x 11.25 Inches (D)
Description: Mahogany cabinet with hand carved and dyed maple panels. Decorative and functional openings to display wine bottles.
"""""""First Poplar"""" Armchair"""
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Oak, milk paint and hickory bark
Dimensions: 40 Inches (H) x 24 Inches (W) x 24 Inches (D)
Description: Seven exposed layers of milk paint
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Oak High Chair
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Wood and hickory bark
Dimensions: 36 Inches (H) x 20 Inches (W) x 20 Inches (D)
Description: Steam bent oak frame
May and Mag
Year Created: 2011
Medium: clay
Dimensions: 30 Inches (H) x 16 Inches (W) x 18 Inches (D)
Description: Fired clay with polymer surface. Part of a series of nudes.
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Peg
Year Created: 2011
Medium: clay
Dimensions: 24 Inches (H) x 26 Inches (W) x 20 Inches (D)
Description: fired clay with polymer surface. Part of a series of nudes.
Adrift
Year Created: 2011
Medium: mixed media
Dimensions: 20 Inches (H) x 35 Inches (W) x 4 Inches (D)
Description: A young man in a boat with bleached, windswept hair, and dark tan; the shimmery iridescence of the water, and the floating objects all produce a quiet introspective on moving from childhood to adulthood.
Image In Blue
Year Created: 2011
Medium: monotype(print)/ink & collage
Dimensions: 24 Inches (H) x 18 Inches (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: Collage with Foliage image in center and cut strips of inked paper to create an abstract type of framing of the center image
Repurposed
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Wool, acid dye, clamp resist, hand stitch, tapestry
Dimensions: 6 Feet (H) x 4 Feet (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: Repurposed materials created with sustainable practice. Hand stitched.
GaGa Shoe Pot (Full)
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Wood
Dimensions: 9 Inches (H) x 9 Inches (W) x 5.5 Inches (D)
Description: Our world is filled with things and events that aren't as we think they should be. I wanted to highlight this fact by placing a high heel shoe on a traditional T-Pot.Absurdity can be delightful and freeing, can it not?
Salmon Pillar Pair
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Stoneware Clay
Dimensions: 13 Inches (H) x 19 Inches (W) x 4 Inches (D)
Description: Thrown and Carved Stoneware. Fired to Cone Six. Price includes both pillars.
Woven Coil Basket Suspended on 6 Posts
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Ceramics
Dimensions: 7 Inches (H) x 8.5 Inches (W) x 6.5 Inches (D)
Description: """1/4"""" diameter coils of stoneware clay were handwoven to create the basket form. With the aid of 1/4"""" wide x 1/8"""" strips of clay lacing and wrapping the basket form to six 1' diameter posts, the basket hangs in suspension."""
Log Cabin Heirloom Box
Year Created: 2012
Medium: wood
Dimensions: 4 Inches (H) x 10.5 Inches (W) x 6.5 Inches (D)
Description: This box was inspired by the Log Cabin quilt block. The quilt blocks on the lid are inlaid using various hardwoods. The box uses cherry strips for the sides in an interlocking manner to give the appearance of a log structure. The walnut lid frame is beveled slightly to suggest a cabin roof.
ARTWORK 02 INFORMATION
Grape Basket Heirloom Box
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Wood
Dimensions: 4 Inches (H) x 11 Inches (W) x 6.75 Inches (D)
Description: This box was inspired by the Grape Basket quilt block. The quilt blocks on the lid are inlaid using various woods and framed in curly maple. The woven box sides are actually solid cherry and walnut strips profiled on the outside surface of the box to suggest a weave pattern and then re-assembled.
Ode to Bob
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Felted wool fiber
Dimensions: 13 Inches (H) x 21 Inches (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: Black and yellow corded hat with matching corded necklace
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Dizzy Dottie
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Felted wool fiber
Dimensions: 9 Inches (H) x 35 Inches (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: Brown scarf and matching cocktail hat with various colored circular shapes
sugar Maple
Year Created: 2011
Medium: wood
Dimensions: 7 Inches (H) x 9.5 Inches (W) x 9.5 Inches (D)
Description: Sugar Maple crotch wood, turned and carved
ARTWORK 02 INFORMATION
Black Walnut
Year Created: 2012
Medium: wood
Dimensions: 9 Inches (H) x 10 Inches (W) x 10 Inches (D)
Description: Black Walnut hollow vesselturned, carved and textured
Post-Industrial Reliquary
Year Created: 2010
Medium: Ceramics and Mixed-Media
Dimensions: 28 Inches (H) x 12.5 Inches (W) x 12.5 Inches (D)
Description: Coil-built stoneware clay, reduction fired to cone-10 with ash glaze, bronze and stainless steel additions after firing
Flood 1937
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Clay, underglaze, cork
Dimensions: 16 Inches (H) x 8.5 Inches (W) x 8.5 Inches (D)
Description: Map documenting 1937 flooding in western Kentucky.
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Aviation Alley
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Clay, underglaze, cork
Dimensions: 16 Inches (H) x 6 Inches (W) x 6 Inches (D)
Description: Map documenting airfields and air bases around Tullahoma, TN.
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Joan Bell
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Clay, underglaze
Dimensions: 16 Inches (H) x 10 Inches (W) x 7 Inches (D)
Description: Insurance map of Owensboro, KY with detail of grapes.
Cold Beer wih Dinner Lazy Susan
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Acrylic on wood lazy susan
Dimensions: 2 Inches (H) x 20 Inches (W) x 20 Inches (D)
Description: Cold beer, sushi, salmon, and dessert are all depicted on the wood lazy susan handpainted with acrylic and sealed with three layers of varnish. Quotes circle the outside border.
ARTWORK 02 INFORMATION
My Favorite Foods
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Acrylic Paint on Wood LAzy Susan
Dimensions: 2 Inches (H) x 20 Inches (W) x 20 Inches (D)
Description: Handpainted food motif including lobster, sald, steak, shrimp skewers, and shortcake, surrounded by rope motif and quotes at edges+
Red Barn
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Photography
Dimensions: 18 Inches (H) x 28 Inches (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: I print and present my photographs on stretched fine art canvas to museum archival standards.
Tennessee Sugar Chest
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Southern Pin Cherry
Dimensions: 35 Inches (H) x 28 Inches (W) x 18 Inches (D)
Description: """Joinery is hand cut blind and thru dovetails, mortise and tenon with pegs. Hardware is restoration grade from Horton Brass. Finish is Danish oil with wax. """
Clown Door Knocker
Year Created: 2010
Medium: Aluminum, Steel
Dimensions: 10 Inches (H) x 6 Inches (W) x 4 Inches (D)
Description: Cast aluminum and forged steel back plate.
Road Kill Series #12
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Silver, Steel, pearl, and found objects.
Dimensions: 2 Inches (H) x 1.25 Inches (W) x 1.25 Inches (D)
Description: I combine the re-purposed materials with...gold, silver, anodized aluminum, precious stones, and pebbles. Each piece is one of a kind. I mostly use cold connections, but sometimes I use a torch and solder to create the frame work to finish the piece.
ARTWORK 02 INFORMATION
Road Kill Series #11
Year Created: 2012
Medium: 18k gold, silver, steel and found object
Dimensions: 1.25 Inches (H) x 1.25 Inches (W) x 1.25 Inches (D)
Description: I combine the re-purposed materials with...gold, silver, anodized aluminum, precious stones, and pebbles. Each piece is one of a kind. I mostly use cold connections, but sometimes I use a torch and solder to create the frame work to finish the piece.
Geometry Tote
Year Created: 2010
Medium: tapestry crocheted nylon
Dimensions: 13.25 Inches (H) x 18 Inches (W) x 4 Inches (D)
Description: The tight stitches and heavy nylon used to tapestry crochet the tote produced a durable patterned fabric that does not need to be lined. The handles help secure the contents.
ARTWORK 02 INFORMATION
Hat
Year Created: 2011
Medium: tapestry crochet cotton
Dimensions: 4.25 Inches (H) x 7.25 Inches (W) x 7.25 Inches (D)
Description: The shape, motif, and colors of this piece were inspired by the Bamum hats tapestry crocheted in Foumban, Cameroon, Africa. Encasing the carried color with a tight single crochet stitches created the naturally stiff fabric and stacked increases produced an octagonal top.
May 2010 Nashville
Year Created: 2011
Medium: mixed media weaving
Dimensions: 26 Inches (H) x 42 Inches (W) x 0 Inches (D)
Description: mixed media weaving of newspaper headlines during the Nashville flood, a chronological calendar of May 2010, paper, cotton yarn and studio scraps, framed (no glass)
I Always Try to Keep My Feet on the Ground
Year Created: 2012
Medium: Mixed media-handbound book
Dimensions: 8 Inches (H) x 5.5 Inches (W) x 2.25 Inches (D)
Description: Carve basswood painted with milk paint, lokta endpapers, Mohawk text paper, waxed linen thread, exposed spine Coptic binding
Oak 1
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Sterling silver, 18k gold and silver bi-metal.
Dimensions: 3 Inches (H) x 2 Inches (W) x 1 Inches (D)
Description: Hand fabricated folded silver and gold leaf constructed as a three dimensional seed pod like brooch.
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FL Gold flower ring w pearl
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Sterling Silver, 18k gold, pearl
Dimensions: 1.25 Inches (H) x 1.125 Inches (W) x 1.125 Inches (D)
Description: Sterling silver, pearl, 18k gold and silver bi-metal hand folded and hand fabricated ring.
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FL 3 disk tier gold and pearl brooch
Year Created: 2010
Medium: Sterling silver, 18k gold, pearls
Dimensions: 2 Inches (H) x 2 Inches (W) x .25 Inches (D)
Description: Hand fabricated 18k gold and silver bi-metal leaf form is arranged in circle of 3 layered disks from large to small centered. Pearls are in between the space of the leaf. It can be worn and a brooch or a pendant.
Odd Man Out Table
Year Created: 2010
Medium: Polcyhrome poplar and mahogany
Dimensions: 22 Inches (H) x 58 Inches (W) x 22 Inches (D)
Description: Lathe turned polychrome poplar and mahogany table that appears as 3 separate table but is, in fact, one long table that is connected by a hand carved base.
ARTWORK 02 INFORMATION
Green Scribble Blanket Chest
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Cherry and polychrome wood, brass
Dimensions: 19 Inches (H) x 58 Inches (W) x 18 Inches (D)
Description: Cherry and polychrome blanket chest with hand drawn surface embellishments. Lined with aromatic cedar and with solid brass hardware. Interior pattern differs in scale from exterior.
ARTWORK 03 INFORMATION
Red Scribble Oculus Mirror
Year Created: 2011
Medium: Polychrome wood and glass
Dimensions: 18 Inches (H) x 18 Inches (W) x 4 Inches (D)
Description: Lathe turned wall-hung mirror made of wood, fiberboard, milk paint with hand drawn surface embellishments.
Hot tea for my honey and me
Year Created: 2012
Medium: porcelain
Dimensions: 6.375 Inches (H) x 5.75 Inches (W) x 4.5 Inches (D)
Description: """Handbuilt porcelain teapot with cups. Mason washes and glazes. Soda fired to cone 10. (cups measure 3 1/2 high x 3"""")John Lucas photography """
