Gaiwan No. 17

A serene, beautiful gaiwan with the most soothing and delicate glaze to look at - fitting for the light and freshness of spring. The outside glaze is pastel grey-green, slightly textured and satiny, with a few iron spots. The inside is a soft, pale blue-grey glaze, light crackles will develop through use, and may darken with time.

Medium size.

⌀: 3½"
H: 2⅞"

. . .

This gaiwan is made by Wang Xinghua, a young ceramicist from Jingdezhen, China.

His handcrafted ceramics are rooted in daily life: simple, plain, rustic. Yet, the meticulous efforts involved in making each one results in a final product that exudes warmth, character, and a sense of individuality that is difficult to articulate but touches the heart.

The gaiwans have a beautiful and harmonious presence. The elegant forms and organic color tones are delightful to look at, to contemplate and reflect on. The neutral glaze on the inside beautifully highlights the tea leaves as they are brewing - it is a pleasure to use for everyday tea making. 

We have been using his gaiwans at our tea bar from the beginning and our love and appreciation for them have grown profoundly.

This is one of 35 gaiwans that we commissioned him to create for us from our visit to his studio in April 2019. 

He throws the gaiwans on the potter’s wheel and shapes each gaiwan by hand from his own special formulation of Jingdezhen clay and porcelain clay. After bisque firing at 800°C, he applies his own glazes by hand. The gaiwans are then reduction-fired at 1300°C.