Thursday, December 11, 2008

The Influence of the Things We See

It is amazing how we can be influenced by the things you see......
































The basic shape and balance of the Arab teapot of a previous post has influenced these hand-built pitcher forms: The cinched waist, the flaring spout and the balance of the handle.

It's funny how one thing influences another. It's true that artists are the reflection of their environment.
That is why it is important to seek out and look at good design.


(I have to confess, I cringe when I walk into a not-to-be-named-in-this-blog store with shelves of plastic flowers, feathery thingys hanging from the ceiling, end-of-aisle attack displays, Me-- with thought-bubble: "I'll just get in and get out and nobody gets hurt." And if I'm lucky, I can go to the place where whatever I need is, get it, go straight to the check-out, and LEAVE.)


These pitcher forms have been the subject of reoccurring constructions ever since I started making the square teapots.






They have developed alongside each other, but I didn't realize it for quite some time. It has a lot to do with the construction of the leaf-shaped spouts since I use the same paper pattern to make both, though I modify it a bit for each particular vessel.

And where did the form for the spout originate? It is a combination of thoughts about tropical plant leaves designed by nature to eliminate excess water and to carry it away from the plant. And the fact that, while working on a square teapot one day, a paper label attached to a plastic spray bottle caught my eye and I thought, "Nice. That would make a great spout shape." So I carefully peeled it off and made a paper pattern to cut a new spout shape.

This little pitcher is 'getting there'.





"Now stick out your tongue."










Ya never know where inspiration will strike if you keep your eyes open.

(Or closed, as in the case of disturbing stores.)

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