Chris Shaw's Ceramic Art

Chris Shaw is a Seattle area ceramic artist specializing in tea ware. I've been a big fan of his work since I first met him in early 2010. Cinnabar and I are proud to carry a selection of Chris's work for sale at our tea shop, Phoenix Tea, and on our store's website.

Last Saturday, Chris stopped by Phoenix Tea to discuss his art while using it to brew tea for ourselves and our customers.

Chris has been working with clay for over 10 years. His background in design and engineering and his great love of tea and tea culture are clearly seen in every piece he creates. He is deeply in tune with each of his teapots. For example, Chris brewed our Shan lin Xi high mountain oolong in a certain tall pot to accommodate a larger group of customers but was not satisfied with the resulting liquor. He quickly changed to a smaller pot, one that he had originally felt would be the best pot for the job, and everyone was clearly blown away by the sweet, sparkly and floral complexity he coaxed out of the leaf using the latter pot.

Chris's work enhances the experience of fine tea. He waxed poetic about the layers of aesthetics he hopes to acheive during a tea session. His sincerity inspires me and his brewing style flows smoothly and artfully.

Beyond Phoenix Tea, local ceramic art lovers can view Chris Shaw's work at several galleries around town including Lundgren Monuments on Boren Avenue through the end of March.