It's an exciting time for tea, and it's getting easier to discover all the information you need to open up a tea salon, become a tea entrepreneur or simply to be a more serious student of tea.
Six Saturdays during the summer, you can visit the only tea plantation in the United States and taste the freshest tea you'll get anywhere in the world. The dates this year are the first Saturdays of each month during their harvest season: May 3, June 7, July 5, August 2, September. 6 and Oct. 4, 1997 with tours every half hour from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at THE CHARLESTON TEA PLANTATION, home of American Classic Tea. This is a walking tour, so dress comfortably. You'll stroll down an oak-lined drive, view the harvest of tea bushes that are descendants to those brought to the U.S. more than 100 years ago, and see how tea is grown, harvested and processed. No reservations necessary, and no rain dates, sorry they're at the mercy of the weather! Complimentary tea served in their charming gazebo. Located at 6617 Maybank Hwy., Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina. Yes, they have wheelchair accessibility.
Directions are easy: from Hwy 17, take Main Road (Rd. 20) or Hwy 171 to Hwy 700, which is Maybank Hwy. It's about ten miles from Jenkins Bridge on Church Creek to the entrance of the Plantation, on the left side of the highway. Watch for the signs, and you'll soon be there! Call (803) 559-0383 if you need more information.
The other excitement is taking the teapot to high art status, and thanks to conscientious gallery owners throughout the country, you can see the finest contemporary ceramic artists display their takes on the teapot and teacup at a gallery near you.
Below we list an ever-evolving calendar of national events, all open to the public with tea in mind!
Teapot Shows
For those of you who love ceramic art, the form and shape of contemporary teapots are both a visual delight and an aesthetic amusement. The pioneer supporter for contemporary teapots is Ferrin Gallery/Pinch Pottery in Massachusetts. Each year, for more than 15 years, it has staged an outstanding teapot show, and now, with the support of Celestial Seasonings, has elevated the show to serious competition. Even more exciting, the herbal infusion and tea company will underwrite a limited but serious reproduction series of the winning teapot entries.
CELESTIAL SEASONINGS: A Loose Interpretation II is a group show of teapots and tea related objects, curated by Gallery owner Leslie Ferrin, and exhibited at the Celestial Seasonings' headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. The show features the work of fifty artists and will showcase artwork used on the company's products. It runs through March 31, 1997 and is available to the public free at the headquarters gallery, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday. Enter the front of the main building at 4600 Sleepytime Drive, Boulder. For more information, call (303) 530-5300.
Ferrin has also curated a group show of teapots for SOFA Miami, the International Exposition of Sculpture, Objects and Functional Art at the Coconut Grove Convention Center in Miami, Florida set for March 6 through 9, 1997 with featured artists Michael Sherrill, Joan Takayama Ogawa, Paul Dresang, Sergei Isupov, and Dana Major.
At the Ferrin Gallery's Massachusetts location, 179 Main Street in Northampton, check out their exciting group show, COLORFORMS: Teapots and Cups June 21 through August 31, 1997 where you can see the work of fifty artists who have focused on the formal elements of the teapot, from handle to spout, foot to lid, body and surface, and teacups. For show times or more information, call (413) 586-4509.
Following the success of the Ferrin teapot shows, many other galleries around the country have followed suit. One of the more successful is Gallery Alexander in La Jolla, California whose exciting TEAPOT IIX will debut on Independence Day, July 4 and close on August 24, 1997 featuring nearly sixty American ceramic artists. This show is always an eclectic cross-section of teapots, teacups and tea-related objects dĖart that are examples of the best whimsical, gorgeous and elegant designs in the country. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday. For more information, call (619) 459-9433. Gallery Alexander is located at 7850 Girard in La Jolla, California.
One of the highlights of this ceramic art is the oldest form, the Yixing teapot, and no gallery does as much to give homage to this 5,000-plus year old art than the GARTH CLARK GALLERY in New York. Living Tradition VI will include many outstanding contemporary Yixing teapot artists from around the world beginning December 2, 1997 through January 4, 1998 at the gallery, 24 W. 57th St. #305, New York. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. A MUST SEE! (212) 246-2205.
Careers in Tea
Can you imagine yourself owning or managing a tea shop or salon? Want to know what other careers are available in the tea industry? Travel to one of these conferences and found out from pros in the industry.
One of our favorite tea companies, Harney & Sons, has planned a 90+tea selection tasting, cooking with tea sessions and career opportunities in the tea industry as part of 12 seminars and tea events planned for its EASTERN TEA CONFERENCE weekend April 4 through 6, 1997 to be held at The Rye Town Hilton in Rye Brook, New York. Guest speaker again will be Victoria Magazine editor Nancy Lindemeyer, plus tea maven, James Norwood Pratt, author of The Tea LoverĖs Companion with Diana Rosen; Jane Pettigrew, editor of Tea International and a tea book author; Joseph P. Simrany, president of The Tea Council of the U.S.A.; Marcus Wulf of Hamburger TeeHandel of Germany, Mary and Edmund Fry of the Rose Tree Cottage, Pasadena, California, Ellen Greaves, executive chef of the Tea Box Restaurant at Takashimaya in Manhattan, and John Tschirch, director of academic programs for The Preservation Society of Newport County. Also speaking will be caterers, afternoon tea experts and the Harneys, John, Paul and Michael, to answer your questions about tea.
Price of $450 includes all seminars, reception Friday night, luncheon and dinner Saturday, and the tea tasting on Sunday morning. For more information, call Eva at (860) 435-5051. Special room rates have been reserved at The Rye Hilton at (800)-HILTONS.
Kay Snipes and Terry Jackson opened four Magnolia & Ivy tea salons to great success in the cities of Parrott, Cuthbert, Richland, and Plains, Georgia in less than a year, and now will stage their second SOUTHEASTERN TEA CONFERENCE to pass on their expertise to you March 7 to 9, 1997 at The Windsor Hotel in Americus, Georgia.
In addition to the hostesses, other speakers are Mr. J.N. Pratt, who will talk on tea; Dorothea Johnson of The Protocol School of Washington, D.C. will give serious advice etiquette in both business and social situations; Bill Russell of the small business development department of the University of Georgia and Cindy Lawrence, a vintage clothing expert who will conduct a Victorian fashion show. Table-top vendors will display their wares, and speakers on marketing, promotion, financial planning and merchandising tea will also be included.
Cost of the weekend is $795. For reservations, call 1 (800) 233-2619 or (912) 824-4198. The event will be held at The Windsor Hotel in Americus, and special room rates have been obtained.
Rates for both of the above conferences are for events only, and do not include airfare or accommodations.
Looking for a little one-on-one information? Yours truly is happy to consult by phone or in-person. For more information, call Diana Rosen at (415) 331-1557 or email me at TeaTalk@aol.com
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