Verdant Tea

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong brings together fine clay and a modern, organic sensibility to traditional forms. This classic "Xi Shi" teapot is a perfect example of her hand crafted work. The lovely Da Hong Pao Ni clay will age beautifully with almost any kind of tea, gaining more depth and luster over years of brewing.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong brings together fine clay and a modern, organic sensibility to traditional forms. This Qin Xiang teapot is a perfect example of her hand crafted work. The mottled Di Cao Qing clay ages beautifully with almost any kind of tea, gaining more depth and luster over years of brewing.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong brings together fine clay and a modern, organic sensibility to traditional forms. This "Xin Shi" teapot is a modern take on the classic Shi Piao, and a perfect example of her hand crafted work. This lovely Zi Ni clay ages beautifully with almost any kind of tea, gaining more depth and luster over years of brewing.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong brings together fine clay and a modern, organic sensibility to traditional forms. This "Shi Lun Zhu" form teapot is a perfect example of her hand crafted work. This uniquely speckled chen pi clay will age beautifully with almost any kind of tea, gaining more depth and luster over years of brewing.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Xian Pou form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong brings together fine clay and a modern, organic sensibility to traditional forms. This adorably small capacity Zhou Pan teapot is a perfect example of her hand crafted work. This stunning Di Cao Qing clay ages beautifully with almost any kind of tea, gaining more depth and luster over years of brewing.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Xi Shi form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong brings together fine clay and a modern, organic sensibility to traditional forms. This Gu Xiang teapot is a perfect example of her hand crafted work. This uniquely speckled chen pi clay ages beautifully with almost any kind of tea, gaining more depth and luster over years of brewing.

Much of Lai Xiaohong’s career has been a meditation on the various shapes inspired by the moon. This qing duan clay ban yue or “half moon” teapot is one of her oldest most classic forms, perfectly balanced with graceful sweeping lines and a perfectly integrated spout. Lai Xiaohong hand-crafted this teapot for a lifetime of use, selecting a clay that will continue to grow more and more lustrous over each brewing session.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong’s beautiful Yu Zi Ni brings vivid color and deep speckling to this classic Li Xing form through a careful blend of her personally-excavated Zi Ni and Zhu Ni clays. The "Miao Xiang" form allows the intensity of color and mottling in the unique Yu Zi Ni to shine. Lai Xiaohong crafted this teapot for a lifetime of use, selecting and hand-blending a clay that will continue to grow more and more lustrous over each brewing session.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Wen Dan form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Feng Pou form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong brings together fine clay and a modern, organic sensibility to traditional forms. This Qing Xiang teapot is a perfect example of her hand crafted work. This stunning Zi Ni clay ages beautifully with almost any kind of tea, gaining more depth and luster over years of brewing.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Yu Tiao form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Jia Duan form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Long Dan form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Qiao Gu form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong brings together fine clay and a modern, organic sensibility to traditional forms. This Zho Zhi teapot is a perfect example of her hand crafted work. This stunning Zi Ni clay ages beautifully with almost any kind of tea, gaining more depth and luster over years of brewing.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built gu xiang form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong’s beautiful Yu Zi Ni brings vivid color and deep speckling to this classic Li Xing form through a careful blend of her personally-excavated Zi Ni and Zhu Ni clays. The "Feng Pou" form allows the intensity of color and mottling in the unique Yu Zi Ni to shine. Lai Xiaohong crafted this teapot for a lifetime of use, selecting and hand-blending a clay that will continue to grow more and more lustrous over each brewing session.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong brings together fine clay and a modern, organic sensibility to traditional forms. This Gu Xiang teapot is a perfect example of her hand crafted work. This uniquely speckled chen pi clay ages beautifully with almost any kind of tea, gaining more depth and luster over years of brewing.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Zhuo Ci form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong brings together fine clay and a modern, organic sensibility to traditional forms. This elegantFu Pou teapot features a beautiful landscape carved across one side. The Di Cao Qing clay will age well with almost any kind of tea, gaining more depth and luster over years of brewing.

This teapot from award-winning artist Lai Xiahong was hand built using a beautiful Zi Yu Pao Ni purple clay. The versatile pot features a carving of chariot riders pulled by a prancing horse. The lid is well-fitted, and the spout and handle are carefully sculpted for a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging.

This meticulously hand-built "Jiu Shui" pot balances a playful sensibility with a refined form. The body of the pot features a carved tea pet to accompany every tea session and the lid is adorned with a carefully sculpted handle inspired by natural rock formations - traditional scholarly objects of contemplation. 

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Xi Shi form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and features a playful carved bird. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built You Xiang form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Han Yuan form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Si Yuan form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and features a carved bird, perced playfully on the curve of the pot. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Shi Piao form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Xin Piao form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Miao Xiang form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art. The warm Di Cao Qing clay has been carefully swirled with golden Duan Ni for an incredible fluid effect, and is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

Award-winning artist Lai Xiaohong is famous for her hand-excavated and blended Di Cao Qing clay, a rich, dense and mottled clay that Lai Xiahong blends from minerals settled in her trough after months of careful aging. This meticulously hand-built Gu Xiang form shows off Lai Xiaohong’s traditional grounding and her modern fluid sensibility in her art with a swirling effect created by mixing Di Cao Qing and Duan Ni clay together in layers. The warm Di Cao Qing clay is ready to take on more depth and luster over a lifetime of use.

This stunning Duan Ni teapot is part of Lai Xiaohong’s award-winning masterwork series combining the strength and elegance of classic form seamlessly with natural detail. The craft and time required to form a pot that transitions so perfectly between stark and clean abstraction to elegant touches of bamboo tests Lai Xiaohong’s skill and demands many dozens more hours of work to execute with her level of effortlessness.  Jing Song or “Sturdy Pine” captures the strength of an ancient pine tree as it twists and reaches upwards, Knots and burls tell a story of the tree’s life, while the underside reveals sculpting lines that all come to a centerpoint like the rings of a tree. Delicate moss clings to the side of the pine tree body, a testament to its strength and shelter. The whole pot comes together to give a sense of time, history and strength fitting as tribute to a great old pine tree.

This stunning Zi Ni teapot is part of Lai Xiaohong’s award-winning masterwork series combining the strength and elegance of classic form seamlessly with natural detail. The craft and time required to form a pot that transitions so perfectly between stark and clean abstraction to elegant touches of bamboo tests Lai Xiaohong’s skill and demands many dozens more hours of work to execute with her level of effortlessness. In this particular form, the four sides that almost round into a circle mirror the four bamboo details perfectly. Lai Xiaohong excavates and blends her own Zi Ni from her own sites scouted around the mountains ringing the town of Yixing, and the result is deep rich mottling and a clay ready to take on a patina over a lifetime of brewing.

This stunning Zi Ni teapot is part of Lai Xiaohong’s award-winning masterwork series combining the strength and elegance of classic form seamlessly with natural detail. The craft and time required to form a pot that transitions so perfectly between stark and clean abstraction to elegant touches of bamboo tests Lai Xiaohong’s skill and demands many dozens more hours of work to execute with her level of effortlessness.

This teapot is a meditation on the overflowing abundance of spring, with bamboo and natural elements almost growing into and around the pot body. The stunning sculptural detail evokes the twisted irregularities of prized scholarly objects of contemplation- found objects in nature set up in the scholar studio to inspire. The deep Zi Ni clay will continue to grow more lustrous and beautiful over time.