2D TEA PARTY

Back in the early 90s I ended up being included in a number of gallery exhibitions that revolved around the tea party theme, two in Cleveland alone. Since those were the days well before digital cameras and iPhone and film and developing were not cheap, I unfortunately have very few pictures from those shows and in fact that time period. As I have once again began trying to convert old 35mm slides in to digital images I ran across this old photo which besides having blurring hotspots from the tungsten lighting also crops off part of the image but I think you will get the broad idea of the platter. This was one of the large terra cotta plates, probably over 24" in diameter with black and white slip decoration of a theme I worked on at the time, "THE PERILS OF PARTYING" showing the animated teapot and teacups covering the surface. I am reasonably sure I only used this design motif for a short while and made less than a couple dozen plates, a group of various size tray forms and three or four teapots covered in teacups but the design as you can see did fit within the tea party theme despite not actually being teapots or cups and saucers. Making these plates afforded me another distinction in these shows, my plates hung on the wall and represented something a bit different than what most people coming to these exhibits expected not to mention taking up far less shelf space for the new owners.