What I adore most about tea, beyond the single steep, are the perfectly precious cups. My collection that has quickly grown to fill an entire bookcase truly potrtays my passion. But considering I'm one cup away from clutter, I've started looking into print.
I was thrilled to find Hennie Haworth's illustrations. A freelance illustrator based in London (currently in Kyoto), Hennie has shared her talents with clients such as Penguin, The Guardian, Habitat, Urban Outfitters, Waitrose, and Sony Ericsson.
My heart obviously skipped a beat when my eyes met her Tea Cups at Saatchi and Cups and Saucers illustrations. They capture the whimsical nature of tea that's rooted in vintage history of flavors, aromas and stories. Each cup and saucer seem to have a distinctive personality (I'm partial to the rose saucer towards the right of the illustration above).
Curious to know the details behind these penned perfections, I reached out to Hennie and posed a few questions about her creativity and love of tea. This is what she kindly had to say:
What inspired your tea illustrations?
There are so many great things to draw when it comes to tea, all the lovely patterns and colors on all the different designs of cups and pots give me lots of inspiration. Also the fact that tea is enjoyed around the world and every country has its own way of serving it makes it an interesting subject.
Do you have a favorite tea that you sip before, during or after a day of creating your art?
In the morning I like really strong breakfast tea with a small splash of milk to wake me up. After lunch I normally have a mint tea. Then a fruit tea, like blackberry and nettle, before I go to bed.
If you could illustrate any tea cup, which one would you choose?
I am currently illustrating my own tea cups! They are going to have a very pretty colourful design like a classic vintage tea cup printed on to a big white mug.
Any favorite tea related memories/moments in London or Kyoto?
In London I really love having a cup of tea with a slice of cake. In Japan I had fun making green tea on the top of a mountain in Hokkaido, which was well deserved after a long hike. In Kyoto I like to have sweet corn tea after a meal, maybe sushi or yakiniku - which is a Japanese BBQ and lots of fun because you get to cook it yourself at the table!
Many thanks to the delightful Hennie for taking the time to share her thoughts and treat us to her magical illustrations. I look forward to blogging more about her teacups when they arrive in her shop, so keep an extra pot on the stove for the upcoming post...
I love the illustrations and it's so interesting to read about the artist.
Posted by: Marlena | January 11, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Marlena-aren't her illustrations incredible? I love the playful teacups. I highly recommend that you take a peek at all of her work. She is so talented and accomplished!
Posted by: alexis | January 11, 2011 at 12:46 PM
What gorgeous artwork! Thanks for this interview and sharing this wonderful artist with the tea community!
Posted by: Lainie Petersen | January 14, 2011 at 02:25 PM
Lainie-I'm so happy that I could introduce you to her wonderful tea artwork. Her pieces are so bright and lively!
Posted by: alexis | January 16, 2011 at 11:41 AM