Thursday, February 17, 2011

The World's Largest Teabag

Customers are always commenting on one of my sculptures I have near the front door.  It's possibly the world's largest tea bag--made out of clay.  I have it there with a sign that says: "This is the only teabag you will see in Elaine's Tea Shoppe.  We only carry fine quality loose leaf tea.  Please do not touch."
Well, of course, everyone does end up touching it.  It looks quite real, and they can't believe it is solid.  They also often think it is a purse at first glance.  So, I have lots of fun with it when they discover its true identity and composition. This type of art, called trompe l'oeil, is made to "fool the eye".  I love it when customers are fooled and think it is a real teabag. 
I miss having my hands in clay.  When my sculpture teacher passed a couple of years ago, the group that met regularly disbanded.  It's just not the same trying to work on my own in my own home.  I miss the group.  We laughed a lot. Ate lots of chocolate together. Drank a lot of tea together. And expressed ourselves with our clay creations.

4 comments:

Antiques And Teacups said...

What a wonderful welcome...obviously a creative tea person is there! That is so neat! Thanks for sharing!

Elaine said...

You are very welcome. I don't get much chance to show my art, but I thought some serious tea drinkers would get a kick out of my teabag.

Anonymous said...

Elaine
I love your tea bag, especially the comment you have with it. It seems a shame to let this talent you have go to waste. Can you not start the group again? Perhaps you could lead, it sure looks like you have the talent.

Elaine said...

Thanks, Connie! I would it were that I had the time to relax into art again. Running even this small business seems all-consuming, but I am always on the look-out for the opportunity to again nurture that creative side.