STORYTELLING PORTFOLIO > The Mechanic Dreamed He Was A Tea Master

The Mechanic Dreamed He Was A Teamaster series was influenced by my long familiarity with blue-collar labor culture, and by the historical practice of repairing valuable tableware and teaware with the technique known as "make-do". For centuries most broken serveware, too costly for most laborers to replace, was mended by attaching an "other" material. Metals were most often used on ceramic ware; silver and pewter ware were usually mended with wood.

This entire series is ceramic, with metal parts that were found or discarded, objects I salvaged and selected, typically from blue collar industries. The metal bits were added post-firing. Because clay shrinks when it's fired -- and each kind of clay shrinks at a different rate -- I built the clay forms using a micrometer and a bit of kiln math to ensure each metal part would fit after the clay came out of the kiln. Nearly all the pieces were fired in a wood-kiln, a process that's also labor-oriented.

Read more about The Mechanic Dreamed He Was A Tea Master HERE.

Read more about make-dos HERE.