Teapot Wisdom

Teapot? Teachings from a Teapot?

I thought this was a blog about woodcarving?!

Patience, Little Grasshopper.

I want to tell you a story.

It's a true story and, although the teapot was completely innocent and the lesson came from the behaviour of the ceramic artist, in my mind the teapot became my teacher. Not the teapots in the pictures. Another.

'A long time ago, when the world was young— '

Sorry, let me start again:

Some (too many) years ago, I visited a potter-artist friend in her studio. She'd recently completed a ceramic teapot that now sat on the bench in her studio.

Shortly after I arrived, the client who'd commissioned the teapot walked in and my friend handed it over.

The client turned the teapot around, held it up to the light; took the lid off and fitted it back on; pretended to pour tea... and smiled broadly. I could tell she loved it: a beautiful form with lovely colours, pouring well. Perfect!

'Thank you so much,' she said. 'It's beautiful, just what I hoped for.'

My ceramicist friend was obviously relieved. Afterall, she'd put a lot of time, effort and herself into this teapot.

She began: 'I'm so glad you like it because—'

My friend then proceeded to list all the things she thought were wrong with it, or that she wished she'd done better: the glaze had dribbled just here; the handle wasn't quite right there; the lid didn't fit perfectly.

On and on.

Each time my friend added to her list, I could see the client's smile slowly droop and when my friend had finished her recitation, the client was quite glum.

'Oh well,' she said. 'I'll take it anyway.'

I think you can extract the lesson yourself. I certainly did!

So...

Keep schtumm. Accept compliments. Don't point out  your 'mistakes'. Keep them to yourself.

We aren't perfect, even if we think others are, and so many so-called 'mistakes' are really just a matter of perception.

Be led by the client: If the client is happy, the client is happy.

Job done.

Who says teapots aren't scuptural?

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