The Mediative Cup: The Story of the Large Beaker

Designing and making objects that people will enjoy using has been such a delight over the last seven years. Receiving feedback and photos of how customers use my unique tableware brings me joy. The Large Beaker was one of my first items and one of my top three items on Etsy in 2020, selling seventy-four beakers in that year alone. The most popular colour was my Pale Blue-Grey. Its gentle tones reflect the winter sky, bringing hope as we enjoy the quieter winter months before the joy of Spring bursts through.

I was inspired to create the item from the Japanese-style cups that are so beautiful and earthy made to be part of the ritual of drinking tea or sake. The Japanese ethos is to take time to enjoy the ceremony of drinking. In the creation of these beakers, I want to give the user an opportunity to slow down and take time to be in the moment and enjoy the tea's tastes and the pottery's textures. The refined textured surface of the Large Beaker is made to be enjoyed reminiscent of a sandy seashore.

Since its creation in 2017, the Large Beaker has had two improvements. The first was to make the beakers thicker than my cups and bowls. I use 100 grams more clay. This change enables them to be held with a hot liquid such as tea. These cups have always been perfect for cold beverages, whether a cool glass of pink gin or fresh lemonade.

The second adaption was the introduction of foot rings in 2021. The image on the left is how I would finish my beakers before and the image on the right is the new foot rings. These have reduced cracking in the bottom of the cups and created a more professional finish.

I love using my Large Beaker in Sandy Beige for my tea in my studio. My morning ritual is to walk half an hour along the seafront and then return to the studio for my first cup of tea of the day. I use this time to stop and mediate, holding my warm textured cup in my hands, taking time to centre myself and breathe before I start my work. I hope you will enjoy them too. Why not take a look.