FROM THE PUBLISHER

Teapots have an enduring place in the potter's repertoire; in fact making a teapot has almost become a rite of passage, with nearly all potters attempting to make one at some point in their career. In The Teapot Book, Steve Woodhead aims to prove how exciting teapots are to make and shows how versatile a form teapots can be for potters to express themselves as artists.

The Teapot Book offers both a practical and an aesthetic approach to the teapot. The first half of the book covers the theory, design and practical aspects of making a teapot in depth, using a step-by-step approach to show the throwing of spouts, bodies, handles and lids. In the second half, the chapters shift focus to explore the use of sketchbooks and design development, and then to profile some twenty-five potters from around the world, showcasing their work and explaining their approach and making methods. Among the potters profiled are many well-known names such as Derek Emms (UK), Sandy Lockwood (Australia), Morgen Hall (Wales), Mick Casson (UK), Cathi Jefferson (Canada), Jeff Oestrich (USA) and many more. The final chapter is a gallery of teapots, featuring many more fantastic images of teapot design from makers worldwide. The potters chosen, some seventy-five in all, demonstrate the remarkable variety that exists among teapot-makers, both in their methods - throwing, handbuilding, moulding, casting and combinations of all - and in their styles - which range from simple, functional forms to non-functional sculptural forms, with everything in between.