Tea Pro?

What is a tea professional? Which school? How much travel? Required texts? What’s your niche? How many years have you been in the business? With whom have you studied? How much has it cost? Can you tell a Darjeeling from a Da Hong Pao? How many countries of origin can you list without a cheat sheet? And, just how much tea do you have to drink to become a Tea Master?

What the heck is a Tea Master, anyhow?

There’s a new book, “The Meaning of Tea” (based on the documentary film) by  Scott Chamberlin Hoyt and Phil Cousineau with several inspiring conversations and the following dedication.

“This book is dedicated to the great tea masters

who made possible today’s cup of tea.”

But there is no convenient list of approved tea saints.

It is a collection of conversations with people from around the world for whom tea is an important aspect. Tea has meaning in their daily lives. Each of the selections is inspiring. Some of them I have met. All of them are people who share a passion for tea. Through the luxury of the film and now this text, we almost feel as if we are sharing a warm, soothing cup and a lazy afternoon with friends around the world.

I believe the un-named tea masters to whom this book is dedicated would be pleased.

So I ask in the Spirit of Tea . . .

What are our shared beliefs about Tea Masters? Tea professionalism? Tea education? Spreading the passion and joy of tea?

•   There are masters of particular tea gardens who direct the growing and processing of their own products.

•   There are masters of the different cultural ceremonies.

•   There are teachers who are so knowledgeable in a particular niche that they have earned the respect of the industry.

•   There are people who study and teach, import and distribute, and in other ways work a broader aspect of the world of tea who are probably due the respect the bestow upon the ancients.

More . . . ? 

Yes, of course there is.

My intention is to incite more discussion. We should be scrutinizing the leaders and educators of the tea industry? Those who speak for tea & market tea & teach tea should have some basic credentials. Tea Master? There are so few true masters that the opportunity to study in their company would be rare. We are left with the comparing notes on tea experiences with the most available teachers. But even then, the opportunities are so limited.

Beyond the World Tea Expo that brings together some of the most recognizable names with proven authority, and, in addition to the Specialty Tea Institute which has developed a series of courses with graded levels from Intro to Somewhat More Informed, many of us are seeking something deeper. Someone who lives in tea and cradles the heart and soul of it. A Master. But the realty of the World of Tea is that it is much too vast for any one person to be master of it all.

We find a niche in which we are comfortable. We align ourselves with others who have carved out a bit of the path. We travel to countries of origin. We drink a lot of tea. We drink as much tea as possible with tea people who want to talk and teach tea. We find people who share the calling and ignore the sneers of those who would jeer, “You did WHAT for tea? You paid HOW MUCH for that 2 oz. package? You hiked HOW FAR and THROUGH WHAT JUNGLE to visit some old tea tree” Are we searching for a Tea Master? Tasting teas created at the hands of a true Tea Master?

So . . . ?

As I read through The Meaning of Tea, I find myself coming to come rather abstract conclusions. There are about fifty interviews with people around the world whose lives are enriched by tea. Each one of them has given me another nugget of tea wisdom to add to my own experience. And I hope that I, in my writing, will pass this along. A mastery of tea exists in something shared as deeply and broadly as possible. We all sense the Spirit of Tea when the shared experience has a resonance of truth that infuses with what we already hold dear.

I opened the book expecting to feel intimidated by the esotericism of artisan teas. But there were also interviews with young boys in France, hipsters in Japan, grandmothers in Tea, South Dakota (the town with a great name and a tea festival) and kids who prefer bubble tea. I was charmed and intrigued at how the peaceful sense of bringing the world together with tea came alive on the pages.

As much as I would like to sit at the feet of the masters, there is great pleasure to be reminded that everyone who finds themselves called to live and work in Tea Land has a place. We’re carving out those places for ourselves and defining what it takes to be considered a reputable pro in the biz. But there is a risk. As in industry we leave ourselves open to frauds looking to make a fast buck. And the worst thing we can do is to overstate our expertise and mislead a vulnerable public, just now becoming interested in tea.

Are there living Tea Masters? Or, is it a league of old Tea Masters who call us all to the Spirit of Tea? Maybe we’re all seeking this kind of umbrella organization but do we really want to put someone in charge? I like the idea of sharing tea wisdom with people from around the world.

And I join Scott Chamberlin Hoyt and Phil Cousineau and the others working on the Meaning Of Tea Project in appreciation for the centuries of mastery keeping the artistry and integrity of tea intact for our time. And may we each find our right place here.

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In one of my previous posts I mentioned a local gallery show with a teapot theme. I had a few emails and phone calls asking what it was like.

The following photos are from a recent show at the Asif Studio in Grass Valley, CA. The artists featured here collaborate, combining various genre, all relating to the teapot. The artists vary not only in medium but also in age and degree of professional experience. Some have been exhibiting their work for many years. For some, this is the first time they have shared their work publicly.

All of them use the teapot for creative inspiration in this show, “Art of Tea”.

One of the most unusual pieces was a charcoal painting titled, “The Spirit of Tea” by John Hoft.

Below it are several ceramic forms by various artists.

The most difficult image to photograph was an outline of a teapot on the wall of one of the hallways. This teapot is made out of teabags fastened directly to the wall.

In the category of whimsy is a mosaic teabag - complete with staple and tag.

Whimsy was brewed in several pieces - like this fish teapot with matching cups.

These are just a few of the more traditional ceramic entries.

Shelves displayed nearly a hundred pieces in various mediums. The teapot on the left side of the top shelf is made of wood.

And the papers displayed on the side wall are tea poems.

But, with one final set of images, you can see what I mean about the diversity of exhibiting artists.

You can find shows like this in may small galleries, especially colleges and universities with art programs. I encourage tea lovers to seek out these events.

It’s especially nice to go with the question: What is it about tea?

As I was giving a short tea talk, someone in the audience asked it for me. To my delight a spontaneous discussion followed. I could close my part of the presentation with a simple, “I’ve been asking myself that for a long time.”

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I recently returned from my first trip to a country of origin, China. This kind of travel is something every tea-person I know has done or has on their short list. And it is still difficult to put my passport away. I would be on the next flight to somewhere in Tea Land in the blink of an eye. I had imagined that there would be something almost sacred for me about walking through a tea garden. I wasn’t disappointed; walking through hillside gardens, picking tea, processing our own tea, meeting the pickers and the processors, interviewing the owners, cupping. It was all amazing.

We became known as the International Tea Delegation. What an honor. It was also a surprise. And it is the way in which we were welcomed in a great variety of situations that prompts me to include this as part of my spirit of tea commentaries. I leave details of the tea gardens and tasting rooms to others. I joined the My reasons for joining group were different; searching for what is drawing me more deeply into this lifelong study of our common leaf. I lost count of the number of tea gardens we visited and I have yet to organize the photos and collection of precious tea memories. There are so many. But I break with tradition in the telling of tales and travel talk. I will start at the end with a bit about my last cup of tea in China.

In A Small Village

After two weeks, I left the delegation to spend 5 days in a small tea village. My hosts were a family who had spent their lives surrounded by tea. Growing and processing. They made me a welcome guest. Our main activities were walking through their hillside farms; tea plants patchworked between bamboo and other vegetables. They allowed me the luxury of living the daily life surrounded by tea. How is tea different when it is your livelihood? How do you prepare tea when it grows at your doorstep? What changes when you drink the tea you spend months picking and processing? There were times when I thought I was trying too hard to find something of spirit in everyday life? And other times I stumbled into experiences that were certainly examples of tea-centered community. It wasn’t the harvest, they reminded me. Anything picked or processed now would not be good tea. But people still picked the fresh leaves and wok-dried it in their kitchens and enjoyed a fresh green tea not available to us. A day in the life in a small village. Remarkable to me.

I visited their Buddhist temple. This is an image of three cups of tea on the table in front of one of the large sculptures. I won’t attempt to explain the significance since there was no translator present. My assumptions may be misleading. But the experience took me back to Greg Mortenson’s book, “Three Cups Of Tea”. In his experience, by the third cup of tea, we are more than friends.

Tea takes us places and presents opportunities, even without words, to become something a bit more than friends.

This village is Huangting in the Fujian Province. Their tea is all organic, as is everything grown in the village. They produce a beautiful green tea with pride. I had tasted the limited export before visiting China and had tried to imagine what the soil, climate and people must be like. Now, I am able to drink the same tea and remember the mist. “Good for the tea,” people in the family said as we watched the fields disappear behind the gray.

Our tea times were usually in the late afternoons and then after dinner. Mr. Hu, my guide and a tea professional with expertise in many areas of tea and art prepared the tea with the elegance a simple gaiwan. My hosts were also his parents and most of the people in the village were relatives. Somewhere between the three cups of tea in the temple and the quiet of tea at home, I learned quite a bit more about tea. We exchanged information about how differently we prepared tea. I had samples of Chinese tea that had been flavored to US tastes. And I described some of the ways we brew and steep. Iced tea. Southern style Sweet Tea. Lemon. Sugar. Cups and saucers. Steeping for 5 minutes. Very different. But he seemed to appreciate knowing more about the changes in tea after it left China. Or, he was being kind.

My Last Cup of Tea In China

For my last night, he selected a green tea – a Qing Ming Tea. It had been picked in late March during the two weeks prior to the annual ceremony to remember and honor the ancestors. It is the first tea after the sleeping season of winter during which time it is believed the plant has the opportunity to store more nutrients and more “spirit”.

One of the Qing Ming legends I had been told was that drinking this tea can give you nightmares. My interpreter said that nightmare wasn’t quite right – more like experiences – not really dreams.

Mr. Hu prepared 7 infusions while I shared my photos of the tour through tea fields.

I had come to China to research my next book and with a quest to learn more about the spiritual nature of tea. And on this last day, my patient guide finally explained how people in China feel about tea.

“There are at least four ways of appreciating tea. Some drink it merely as a beverage to quench thirst. Some are convinced it will improve their health. Some high level businessmen use very expensive and elegant teas as part of business negotiations. Many important contracts are signed over tea ceremony. And there are also people who are deeply spiritual about the tea.”

In the country credited as the birthplace of tea, where tea gardens wrap almost every hillside and there are teashops in even the smallest village, this wasn’t what I expected to hear.

I started writing this on the flight between Bejiing and Los Angeles, still feeling sad to leave. Crossing the date line we turn the clock back and claim a part of the previous day. With my extra time, I thought about that last cup of tea. And the notes for this blog post remained unfinished. What to say?

I can still taste it. We were sitting on small stools around a wooden table; a family preparing to say goodnight and a guest preparing to leave.

I decided to say that we shared tea.

It seemed to be what was most important.

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Community Art Studio Tea Show

On the small town scene, in my local community, the sister cities of Nevada City & Grass Valley, CA, our cooperative studio, Asif Studio, is opening a Tea Pot Show on August 28th which will run through October 2nd. They will feature functional, sculptural & conceptual works Inspired by the spirit of Tea! Visual Artists, Poets, Authors, Tea & Art Historians will gather at the opening to celebrate, educate and enjoy exceptional teas, fine art and poetry.

Twenty-five artists will show their visions of tea in a fascinating collection. And it will be an opportunity for me to serve several different types of tea and speak about some of the countries of origin.

Traditional British style black tea with milk and sweeteners will be offered but there will also be demonstrations of both Chinese and Japanese teas - a Tie Guan Yin and a Matcha. Since many of the ceramic artists will be selling teacups, tea bowls and teapots, we will think that many patrons will enjoy their beverages of choice from their new art investments.

The cover art for the show program is an elegant teapot by ceramic artist, Volker Schrezenmeier.

It was experiences like this that led me to my own fascination with tea. I’ve been watching this experience in others for a couple of decades now. So, I suspect that others will come to an the open studio, drink tea and decide to try their hand at both creating the vessels and filling them with leaves from around the world.

Steeped In History: the Art of Tea

An exhibition at the Fowler Museum at the University of California, Los Angeles opened this month and will run through November 29, 2009.

The show’s curator Beatrice Hohenegger, has chosen an interesting approach, using art to tell the 5000 history of tea. Beginning with the ancient Chinese legend of Shen Nong, she explores follows the tea routes through Japan and into the west.

“Tea was an exotic novelty, and no one knew what to make of it at first,” Hohenegger said.The survey of tea-inspired art is drawn from three continents and several centuries of art to illustrate the importance of our favorite brew to world culture. Beatrice Hohenegger, author of Liquid Jade: The Story of Tea from East to West (St. Martin’s Press, 2007). Ms. Hohenegger also edited the published show guide for the Fowler Museum, Steeped in History: The Art of Tea (ISBN: 978-0-9778344-1-9).

During the three-month of the exhibit, the Fowler Museum will also be offering numerous special tea-art events for both children and adults.

One other interesting partnership of note is that Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf provided tea service for the opening. Like my own tea service at the Asif Studio show, these are opportunities for tea businesses to make connections with art patrons - quite likely an interested audience in premium tea. Tea businesses and tea educators may want to be alert to possibilities for these types of exchanges.

One Last Word

Tea’s foundation in history and culture is one obvious inspiration for artists. And the wealth of inspired images in art available to the tea lover rewards the passion. But I continue to pin the ‘why’ question to the observation. What is it about tea. . . ?

This summer I joined Dan Robertson’s World Tea Tour to China, traveling with this question in mind. Touring tea gardens, factories, tea schools, tea wholesale markets, meeting tea masters, down to picking our own tea and molding our own puerh cakes encouraged me to continue to ponder. But I’m pleased to say that I returned with more questions.

This is a good thing for a lifelong passion.

And I believe it’s good for artists as well.

Gan bei.

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My last post featured the glass teapot sculpture of Richard Marquis. Work like his and other fine artists who use the teapot as a theme for non-functional sculpture continues to intrigue me. An teapot artist friend recently suggested that it was the annual teapot competition created by Celestial Seasonings in the late 1990’s that fueled the popularity of interpreting the teapot form in sculptural media. I confess that I was hoping for something more to the spiritual inspiration rather than a tea company’s marketing program. On the other hand, I felt great pride in tea industry that one of the major companies found a way to reward serious artists. The contests continued for about 5 years and artists from every medium were acknowledged. Twenty - thirty works would be selected from hundreds of entries. On the other hand, galleries and art museums have been featuring teapot art for many years. The fact that non-ceramic artists use it in their work isn’t surprising.

But Why Teapots?

It’s a comfortable and easily recognizable form.

They convey sincerity.

It’s a technically challenging form.

Teapots are serious and yet whimsical. . . . . Like tea!

But part of the reason artists create teapots is that museums and galleries organize teapot shows and collectors buy them. And the truth is that of the hundreds of serious teapot collectors in US, many don’t even drink tea.

In a History of Ceramics course I took in the late ’70s there was a story of Kasimir Malevich, a Russian abstract artist (1878-1935) who was asked to design a teapot for factory production. When it was discovered that the teapot didn’t pour well, Malevich is said to have replied, “It’s not about the tea. It’s about the teapot.” Malevich did create several functional designs which are still produced by the Lomonosov Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg, Russia. Functional, yes. But they aren’t your grandmother’s traditional teapot. The white cups and pot are a current version of his original, selling today for about $500. Looking at it again, I have to remind myself that this work piece was designed almost a hundred years ago.

Media hype? No.

And I believe that this piece is evidence that there is something in the brewing of tea that intrinsically inspires creativity.

Kate Anderson is another extremely non-traditional teapot artist. Her work is waxed and knotted fiber. She began the series in 1988 and has created a body of work seen in major galleries and highly valued by these non-tea-imbibing collectors.

“Making sculptural art forms by utilizing the repetitive basketry technique called knotting forms the basis of my work regarding content and the blurred edges where art and craft meet. High-art/low-art references come into play by utilizing the teapot, a common craft object, as my sculptural archetype juxtaposed with images appropriated from the world of “high art”. Quotation, allusion, abstraction, and art/craft references all play a part as the knotting process simultaneously creates both structure and image.“

I rem

ain convinced that it must be (as they say) “. . . something in the water!”

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And it is work like this which makes me ask my “Why Teapot?” question again and again.

Richard Marquis has had a profound influence over glass art in the United States and around the world. He was one of the first Americans to study in Venice with the masters of hot glass. Known for their goblets, I cannot help but smile at the addition of little teapots in the stems of elegant glass bowls on pedestals. Whatever his intention for these, I am filled with delight.

And teapots as trophies.

I wanted to share this work with you tea lovers because I believe it will make you smile. And because I feel like tea is being honored when an artist chooses elements of the traditions as part of their visual vocabulary.

Art as an industry, and particularly art education, is one area of our economic crisis being devastated. Art like this will become much more difficult to produce. Teachers and mentors like Richard Marquis will become rare. Some traditions are in danger of being lost from lack of appreciation.

So, I was wondering . . . could it be that the world’s image of tea lovers is that they also have a greater appreciation for the arts?

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Five different people send me articles about Pierre Sernat and his Guerilla Tea Performance Art with links to his YouTube videos. Thank you. It’s right up my alley. Perfect for my ongoing blog conversations on the Art & Spirit of Tea. But I’ve kept it on hold because something about it disturbs me. It generates some issues. All the better in the blogasphere, so I’m told. So, before I say more, please take about 4 minutes to watch and then we will continue.

If you don’t have 4 minutes or a fast enough connection to watch YouTube videos, I’ll summarize. Pierre Sernat has created a portable Japanese-style tea room. He transports it to unusual and unexpected public places where he serves tea to.

These experiences were photographed and were displayed at the 2nd Annual Asian Contemporary Art Show in New York City last November 2008.

Several things about the performance piece that disturbed me - until last week.

I knew I was supposed to appreciate that tea’s core messages - harmony, purity, respect and tranquility - are being shared. I want more people to experince tea. To taste new teas. To share the widely diverse cultural traditions tea has inspired around the world.

I knew I was supposed to be impressed but the voice of my internal critic went into judgmental mode. I reacted to the video as if something sacred had been used as a publicity stunt. But who am I to say that?

The Nature of Criticism

Maybe the time spent in the academic and professional world of art makes me feel that privilege and responsibility. The way in which we learn is to question and criticize. It’s impossible not to bruise sensibilities and find not uncommon to find yourself falling face first into your own emotional debris.

As I’ve said before, it was my art experiences that introduced me to tea. Specifically, the intimacy of the teapot and the integration of narrative and function. Where the sculptural experience sometimes trips over performance art is that we become heavily invested in permanence - making an item that will stand the test of time and hold value for generations. The performance artist is invested in creating a relationship with his audience - in the moment and in memory.

It’s similar to the dichotomy in a life of tea. We celebrate the different cultural ceremonies of tea and collect the equipment but the experience of each cup shared between host and guest is ephemeral.

Tea Ceremony At The World Tea Expo

One of the special events at WTE was “Modern Teaism“. There were several seatings for Tea Ceremony served by Sen So’Oku, the next grand tea master of the Mushakoji-Senke Tea School, and a direct descendant of Sen no Rikyū, founder of the Way of Tea.

It was an honor to be one of the participants. I imagined a very quiet tearoom set in the corner of the trade show. But the Special Events stage was quite bare. Just a simple table in an unusual U-shape. With stools. No tatami mats.

In front of the stage were chairs. A large audience. Within the seated audience were reporters with notepads and photographers with cameras. Cameras with huge lenses. Beyond the seated audience were as many more people standing. Watching.

Tranquility? Not so much. It’s not easy to feel relaxed in front of so many people.

Our hosts began explaining the elements of tea ceremony. The setting. The utensils. The scroll. The rare and unique tea bowls. The matcha. The natsume - the handmade, lidded container for the matcha. We were especially honored to have the artist who made the container present in the audience to explain how he made the exquisite piece.

And somewhere in the experience, embedded in the details and the intention was tranquility.

There was also the connection between my judgmental nature of Pierre Sernat’s Guerilla Tea.

My Conclusions

One thing I love about the Spirit of Tea is the sense of humor. Life lessons can be so entertaining - especially when I am finally able to laugh at my own limitations and become free of them.

The Spirit of Tea is ancient. It has survived wars and economic crises. It has restored the entire agricultural economy of come countries and has been the symbol for political unrest. We humans have created some ridiculous ways to be in conflict with each other over tea - but we have not yet destroyed the foundations on which a life in tea is build. Tea, the leaf and Tea the spirit of the leaf continue in spite of us and our best and worst attempts to commercialize it. To pitch it. To sell it.

Even in the middle of a trade show floor filled with several thousand people - on the main street of Sin City - there can be tranquility. Isn’t that amazing? Whether the teapot is English bone china or a glass and steel French Press. Tea can even survive tiny plastic sample cups and white styro.

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PS: I was also mistaken when I said in my previous blog that I didn’t need to take my electric hot pot and infuser cups to make tea in my room. There is nothing worse than having some of the finest teas in the world on hand and no good way to heat water.

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What’s the big deal about tea that inspires artists and writers?

Indeed, the wares of tea are objects ‘d art and collectibles in their own right. Teapots. Tea bowls. Strainers. Caddies. Chests. Cups & Saucers. Cozies. Painting. . . . Paintings? . . . Yes. Teapot Paintings. I was pleased when the painter, Pamela Cambiazo, offered a comment on the why of her teapot paintings.

Teapots are so much more than vessels for tea; they are the altar of many conversations, they provide social connection and personal comfort, they give pleasure and bring peace, they travel the world, the travel through generations. Every teapot has a story.

Pamela Cambiazo, Painter

I met Pamela at the Victoria Tea Festival in February and was able to saw the display of her work. She is passionate about the form and the function of teapots and is equally sensitive to the emotional attachment we feel for the tangible equipment of tea. It represents something more.

For many of us it is a family connection. We began the habit in our grandparents’ home. For others of us it is new. Perhaps something we wish we had shared with our parents and siblings, but did not. The use of a special pot or cup can trigger a sense of well-being. The act of preparing tea is, in itself, reassuring.

I like Pamela’s phrase, “. . . altars of many conversations. . .”  Talking in real time, face to face, smile to smile. Someone said to me last week, “You can’t Twitter Tea.” A profound and comforting realization.

So here we are - several thousand of us packing bags, registering for seminars, arranging meet-ups and other Las Vegas fun in conjunction with the tea trade. I know people who are packing their teapots and special leaf favorites to brew it in their rooms. The 20+ cups they’ll sample on the trade show floor don’t seem like enough. Others of us bring a favorite infuser cup and never-been-touched-by-coffee water heaters because we know we won’t be able to wait wait to open a new package of leaf until we get home. Been there. Done both.

I’m trying something new this year. Packing light. I’m going to be focusing on the aspect of tea that we can’t order online. It’s not Twitterable. Or Googleable. It’s not limited to the teapot or traditional contents. Just as we all do every year, we will talk until our jaws are sore and mouths dry. We will buy and sell. But mostly, we will meet for conversation. Because at the heart of this business is the spirit of tea who reminds us we are about much more than a beverage.

I’ve come to trust several things about gatherings of tea professionals:

There will be fantastic tea. I don’t need to bring mine from home.

1.  I will discover new ways to brew and serve it. I can leave my tea-to-go kit and make room for an extra pair of comfortable shoes.

2.  There will be some wonderful new discoveries by medical science to prove what ancient cultures have been saying about tea for thousands of years.

3.  And there will be little altars of conversation and in the middle of the noise where I will experience the peacefulness and meaning that lured me into the world of tea in the first place.

4.  I will have a great time!

The Spirit of Tea thrives wherever we create the ‘. . . altars of conversation.”

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But timing is everything. So, if you still have the Sunday Funny Pages in the stack of recycling, check out “Luann” by Greg Evans. If that’s not an option, you can see the strip on the internet. It can be searched by date - March 22, 2009.

http://comics.com/luann/

I’m always on the lookout for ways in which tea inspires artists.  And this is the first time I’ve seen tea hit the funnies. Not that I’ve performed the exhaustive search required to make a definitive statement. But Da Hong Pao is one of my personal favorites. I love the tea and I love the legend - The Small Red Robe. 

I emailed Greg Evans and received a very quick response with permission to mention today’s cartoon in the blog.

A green tea drinker by preference, he said that he discovered the tea in his search for something rare.

Now, I don’t know how many people decide to drink tea based on cartoon strips. And curiousity might lead me to check the stats on Google’s search tools. But it certainly inspired me. It’s snowing in my little Northern California town. And this second infusion of my rare and wonderful leaves is just perfect.

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The answer is, the Trenton Tennessee Teapot Festival.  This year’s annual week-long festival will begin on April 26th. And the list of events for every day fills the entire week. And all of the above events are combined with what we would more commonly think of as tea-themed offerings. There’s an Alice In Wonderland Tea Party and a special Lighting of the Teapots ceremony. There will be a most beautiful and most unusual teapot contest. But, in the Spirit of Tea theme for this blog, Trenton’s festival points to one of the most spiritual qualities of tea. Tea has a way of becoming part of our own culture. What impresses me is the way in which the citizens of Trenton have blended the elements of rural Tennessee life with the historic qualities of tea. The charms of a children’s float decorated with “Wild about Uni-Tea”, a parade entertainer outfitted as a little red teapot and a car sporting a sign, “It’s Tea Time - Let’s Par-Tea” seem wonderfully infused with the tractors, fire engines and convertibles gliding down the main street of town.

And the Teapot Trot is one of the health events - a run through town. 

At a recent gathering of tea people, Norwood Pratt borrowed the lyrics of a song, “Everything old is new again. . .” to talk about tea. At the Trenton Teapot Festival, the ancient traditions of tea find a new format. I would not say that it defines tea in the US. But it does make the social and health aspects its own in ways that bring people together. The old ways from China and Japan and other tea cultures around the world are scarce here. But there is no shortage of creativity. . . . as the old becomes new.

Unity In the Communi-Tea

Festival organizers chose a theme, “Uni-tea In The Community”.  And, in the great tradition of parades, every school band, every public service organization and many local businesses all picked up the teapot theme, decorated their vehicles and celebrated with tea. They’ve been doing this for 29 years and all indications point to this continuing for many more.

Tthe town leaders created the festival in the early 1980’s. The inspiration for the annual festival is The World’s Largest Collection of Porcelain Veilluse-Theieres teapots;  525 teapots dating from 1750 - 1860 form a permanent collection housed in a museum at the Trenton Municipal Building.

The collection was created by Trenton resident, Dr. Frederick Freed and given to the city in 1955. And part of the festival includes tea in the museum with the rare teapot display.

One of the events that caught my attention is the annual lighting of the teapots. On the right is a photograph of this ceremony.  It is a significant part of the history of these lovely teapots to light them. They were known as food warmers in the pre-electrified and pre-microwave era. Long before the warmers supported teapots, the  Veilluse-Theieres porcelaines supported bowls of soup and porridge. The set of teapot and warmer bases are incorporated as one piece.

Tea Festivals

Having recently returned from the Victoria Tea Festival, the idea of city festivals, each unique in planning and design to the local community is of special interest. Imagine tea festivals dotting the maps! But as I check the calendar, I realize that the weekend actually conflicts with another kind of tea festival. World Tea Expo.

I’ve come to think of Expo as a festival; a celebration. I exhibit - yes - and therefore I have a commercial interest. But being an attendee; participating in the classes and events, having a hands-on experience with new products and meeting old friends is always a top priority. I once told George Jage that Expo was like a theme park for me. And the last time I tallied up the expenses for a weekend with the kids at Disneyland, it made three days in Tea Land look like a bargain. We have our parade of new products and hoofing it around the showroom floor can compare with Trenton’s Teapot Trot. What we lack in antique teapots is balanced by teapots and teas in the hundreds of vendor booths.

Alas, we don’t crown a royal tea court. Our competition is between the teas and we have hundreds in the running for this year’s best-of-shows all being packaged now for us to taste at our own kind of festival.

One of these years very soon I’ll be in Trenton for their annual week of tea. I believe the Spirit of Tea is comfortably in residence there.

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