The idea of having afternoon tea often brings up images of silver tea services, bone china teapots and one’s best linens and utensils. Often these things are only used for this very formal occasion. Many artists who are also tea drinkers have taken the ritual of tea as an inspiration for art forms that come from the British tradition of stopping for tea about 4 p.m. or from the Asian perspective which features among others a Japanese tea ceremony in a teahouse.
Tryon Arts and Crafts School would like to open its Heritage Crafts Gallery to artisans’ interpretations of tea and all its accouterments. The show will open on Friday, March 14, with an artists’ reception from 6-to-8 p.m. Visitors will be able to see a variety of media represented and not just the traditional porcelain or cast iron teapots and quilted cozies. Potters will have their own unique textural and unconventional silhouettes represented.
The jewelers will show images that are perhaps miniature, dainty shapes borrowed from the tea utensils. The fiber artists will create weavings, stitching and quilted pieces that have tea themes.
Two special events are planned during the exhibit. The first event is a Reminiscence Tea. This will be an actual afternoon tea with tea tasting and finger foods that are served in the English tradition.
Open Road Coffee will co-sponsor the event and feature a tea tasting with its new brand, The Art of Tea. Dan Ferebee, a partner with Stan Yoder of Open Road Coffee LLC in Tryon will also featur his special pastries made just for the event.
The Reminiscence Tea will feature a program by Robin Edgar on reminiscing. Edgar will speak about how to go about remembering events and feelings of the past and how to record them for the future.
Anyone interested in participating in the Reminiscence Tea, which carries a small charge, should contact the Tryon Arts and Crafts School office to make reservations. A limited number of people can be accommodated at the school so reservations are being taken now through March 25.
In conjunction with the Reminiscence Tea on March 29, on the following Saturday, April 5, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Betty Garniss and Julia McIntyre will lead participants in creating an affirmation memory necklace.
Students in the necklace workshop will draw on the new knowledge and inspiration from Edgar’s presentation on reminiscence and memory for a surprisingly captivating experience. As a way to anchor important affirming memories, beads or small treasures brought by the participant will be selected to represent the memory.
Students will learn the techniques and skills necessary to set up beads and other items to be fastened onto a chain or toggle clasp. At the end of the workshop, students will take home a unique and personal necklace.
The two events at can be attended independently and one is not required by the other, but workshop students are encouraged to come to the tea as the tea charge is covered in the workshop fee.
The public is invited to the Hot Tea 2014 exhibit, which promises to show unique visual insights into the world of tea.
For more information regarding Hot Tea 2014, including a prospectus and entry information, call 828-859-8323 or visit www.tryonartsandcrafts.org.
-article submitted
by Christine Mariotti