Teapots: Nick Joerling Penland, NC



Nick Joerling Teapot $175
wheel thrown/altered, high temperature stoneware
(7.5" x 4" x 5.5")



Statement:

My dictionary says a teapot is "a covered pot with a spout."  I smile at the judiciousness of that definition, like characterizing a human being as an upright body with a face.  Buried in both succinct summations is the rich unending variety of mechanics, spirit, aesthetics, emotion, intellect.

I like the blue-collar aspect of pots, that they do the everyday work of carrying, containing, delivering, but can also "step out" and stimulate the mind and imagination.  I like the pots that make good use of the constraints of utility, and I like the pots that push against those boundaries: pots that entertain some dicey possibilities.  In my own studio I hope for pots that have qualities of sensuality, empathy, humor and risk.

Website: http://penlandpottery.com/