“Tea begins with heat, it rises in fragrance, it resides in the mind and heart.” — Kakuzō Okakura, The Book of Tea
“Kyusu Teapot and Teacup” is an original still life painting, created with oil on linen mounted to panel.
This work offers a quiet meditation on form and simplicity—a Japanese kyusu teapot and a modest teacup set against a warm, woven textile. The deep blue brushwork, applied with lapis-based pigments, echoes the centuries-old tradition of porcelain glazes. Here, light plays gently across ceramic, metal, and wood, catching on the silver spoon and moving softly through the curves of the pot.
At once grounded and contemplative, this painting invites stillness. The scene is humble, but composed with reverence—each object chosen not for grandeur, but for its ability to hold presence. The surrounding fabric enfolds the moment, deepening the sense of warmth and quiet intimacy.
Measuring 8 × 10 inches (20 × 25 cm), the painting is set in a black frame with clean lines and a timeless profile. The outer dimensions of the frame are 14 × 16 inches (35 × 40 cm), and the piece arrives ready to hang.
This painting is available for acquisition. Please click the blue button below to purchase, or contact me with any questions.
Scroll down to learn more about the inspiration, materials, and process behind this painting. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out using the form at the bottom of the page.
"Kyusu Teapot and Teacup"
An Original Still Life Painting
The Inspiration
There is something quietly anchoring about objects that speak of ritual—especially those shaped by centuries of tradition. “Kyusu Teapot and Teacup” draws from that still center.
The kyusu—a traditional Japanese side-handled teapot—is more than a vessel. It is a symbol of presence, of precision, of moments slowed by intention. Its form is ancient, yet unmistakably modern in its elegance. Beside it, a humble teacup—its blue glaze bearing the marks of everyday use—invites the viewer into an intimate scene, one that suggests conversation, solitude, or perhaps the simple quiet of tea taken alone.
The backdrop, a textured field of warm earthen tones, evokes aged lacquer, handwoven silk, or walls burnished by time. It sets a tonal contrast to the cool glazes of the pot and cup, and together they form a composition that hums with quiet resonance.
This painting is not about tea, or even about pottery—it is about stillness. About grounding. About the gentle weight of the ordinary when seen clearly. Like so many of the most enduring objects in our lives, the teapot and teacup here become something more than their function. They become a moment suspended—between cultures, between eras, between the hand and the eye.
The Finest Materials
“Kyusu Teapot and Teacup” has been meticulously crafted using oil on linen mounted to panel—a combination prized for both its beauty and longevity. The linen provides a finely textured surface ideal for nuanced brushwork, while the rigid panel support ensures long-term stability, preventing warping and preserving the integrity of the painting for generations to come.
The painting was created using the highest quality oil paints, chosen for their richness, permanence, and historical resonance. The luminous blue glazes of the kyusu teapot and teacup were built using Lapis Lazuli—a pigment once more valuable than gold, and used by the Old Masters to capture the robes of the Virgin Mary or the deep skies of Renaissance altarpieces. This ultramarine blue is sourced from lapis stones mined in the mountains of Afghanistan, where it has been gathered for over a thousand years. Its rare clarity and brilliance give the blue surfaces in this painting a deep, internal light that no synthetic pigment can match.
The warm amber tones of the wood, the soft shadows of the background, and the reflective gleam of silver are rendered with an earth-toned palette anchored by ochres from Cyprus, umbers from Italy, and ivory black derived from charred bone. Each pigment is chosen not only for its visual properties, but also for its proven ability to stand the test of time.
In both its technique and materials, “Kyusu Teapot and Teacup” pays homage to centuries of craftsmanship—drawing from historical practices while remaining rooted in the quiet attentiveness of contemporary still life.
Painstaking Process
“Kyusu Teapot and Teacup” was created using a time-honored approach rooted in the Flemish tradition—a layered, deliberate method practiced by painters for over 500 years. The process begins long before the brush touches the final surface. The arrangement itself was composed and lit within a custom-built shadow box beside the easel, allowing for fine control over light and atmosphere. Every object was placed with intention, inviting a quiet conversation between shape, texture, and reflection.
Initial thumbnail sketches in pencil helped determine the core design—how each element would balance and relate to the others. A small color study followed, allowing for the testing of palette and light interactions in advance. This preparatory work ensures that the final painting emerges from a place of deep understanding and clarity.
The composition was then lightly drawn onto the primed linen using vine charcoal. Rather than detailing every surface, this stage focused on capturing the essential placement and proportion of each form. Over that sketch, a monochromatic underpainting was developed in shades of warm and cool gray—defining the value structure and laying the foundation for the work’s light and volume.
Once dry, thin transparent layers of oil paint—known as glazes—were applied across the surface. These glazes allow light to pass through and reflect back from lower layers, giving the painting its characteristic glow. In areas like the glimmering teacup handle or the luminous blue glazes of the kyusu teapot, multiple passes were required to achieve the depth and clarity desired.
This slow, careful method allows for an extraordinary level of refinement—where color, edge, and atmosphere are all tuned toward stillness. Every stage of the painting serves to deepen that sense of presence. The result is not simply a depiction of objects, but a quiet invitation to linger.
"Kyusu Teapot and Teacup"
Ready for your collection today
“Kyusu Teapot and Teacup” measures 8 × 10 inches (20 × 25 cm) and is painted with oil on linen mounted to panel, following time-tested traditional methods.
It is set in a black frame, with outer dimensions of 14 × 16 inches (35 × 40 cm), and is ready to hang on your wall.
The frame offers a quiet counterpoint to the warmth of the painting—its clean lines and matte black finish creating a sense of calm containment. Without calling attention to itself, it gently deepens the tonal contrasts within the image, echoing the quiet elegance of the subject. This subtle separation between frame and painting draws the viewer inward, allowing the delicate interplay of form and light to fully emerge.
In addition to its aesthetic role, the frame offers protection—securing the edges, allowing for subtle air circulation, and helping to preserve the surface over time. It’s a thoughtful finishing touch: elegant, timeless, and well-suited to the contemplative nature of the piece.
This painting is available for acquisition. Please click the blue button above to purchase, or contact me with any questions.
Scroll down to explore more details about this painting and see additional images.
Shipping
“Kyusu Teapot and Teacup” will ship via USPS Registered Mail with secure packaging and full insurance at no extra charge. Upon shipping, you will receive a tracking number and an estimated delivery date, allowing you to monitor the package’s location and progress. It will ship within two business days of purchase.
Every piece is carefully packed and fully insured for safe delivery. Should any issue arise in transit, I will work with you to resolve it promptly.
Alternatively, if you live within a 50-mile radius of Boston, Massachusetts, I will be happy to deliver the work in person to you.
Guarantee
Your satisfaction is my highest priority. If for any reason you are not completely delighted with your painting, you may return it within 14 days for a full refund or exchange. The artwork must be returned in its original condition and packaging.
Invest with confidence—this painting is designed to bring lasting beauty and enjoyment to your collection.
Your satisfaction is completely guaranteed.
Purchasing This Painting
This painting is framed as shown and is ready for immediate hanging.
Payment may be made with major credit cards and PayPal.
Shipping within the United States is free. An additional charge will be added for shipments outside of the United States.
It will ship from my studio within 3 business days of purchase.
It will be carefully packaged for maximum protection during transit, and insured for the full purchase price. A signature will be required on delivery, so the package will not be left unattended.
You will be provided with a tracking number and estimated delivery date (due to the unpredictability of the customs process, an estimated delivery date cannot be provided for shipments outside of the United States).
Your satisfaction is completely guaranteed. Paintings may be returned for the full purchase price within 14 days of receipt.
About These Paintings
These paintings grow out of two sources: On the one hand, a deep love for the great still life tradition of the Dutch Golden Age, and on the other, a life-long interest in meditation.
For both viewer and artist, still life is the perfect opportunity to have that experience which all meditation seems to aim at: complete and total absorption in the present moment. Not the past. Not the future. Just what is in front of you. Right here. Right now.
That moment of quiet, intense connection – that sense of one-ness – is all the inspiration I need… and these paintings emerge from that source.
As such, this isn’t really a personal art. It’s not about me or my views or my ideas.
My role is to step aside, and let these silent moments speak through me.
And there isn’t anything more personal.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this painting, whether it’s about its details, the inspiration behind it, or how it would fit into your space, I’d be happy to answer them.
If you’d like more information about the purchasing process, framing options, or secure shipping arrangements, feel free to reach out.
I take great care in ensuring that each painting is safely packaged and delivered, and I’m happy to discuss any special requests you may have.
Simply use the form below, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Kyusu Teapot and Teacup
$2,500.00
“Tea begins with heat, it rises in fragrance, it resides in the mind and heart.”
— Kakuzō Okakura, The Book of Tea
“Kyusu Teapot and Teacup” is an original still life painting, created with oil on linen mounted to panel.
This work offers a quiet meditation on form and simplicity—a Japanese kyusu teapot and a modest teacup set against a warm, woven textile. The deep blue brushwork, applied with lapis-based pigments, echoes the centuries-old tradition of porcelain glazes. Here, light plays gently across ceramic, metal, and wood, catching on the silver spoon and moving softly through the curves of the pot.
At once grounded and contemplative, this painting invites stillness. The scene is humble, but composed with reverence—each object chosen not for grandeur, but for its ability to hold presence. The surrounding fabric enfolds the moment, deepening the sense of warmth and quiet intimacy.
Measuring 8 × 10 inches (20 × 25 cm), the painting is set in a black frame with clean lines and a timeless profile. The outer dimensions of the frame are 14 × 16 inches (35 × 40 cm), and the piece arrives ready to hang.
This painting is available for acquisition.
Please click the blue button below to purchase, or contact me with any questions.
Scroll down to learn more about the inspiration, materials, and process behind this painting. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out using the form at the bottom of the page.
Available
Description
"Kyusu Teapot and Teacup" An Original Still Life Painting
The Inspiration
There is something quietly anchoring about objects that speak of ritual—especially those shaped by centuries of tradition. “Kyusu Teapot and Teacup” draws from that still center.
The backdrop, a textured field of warm earthen tones, evokes aged lacquer, handwoven silk, or walls burnished by time. It sets a tonal contrast to the cool glazes of the pot and cup, and together they form a composition that hums with quiet resonance.
This painting is not about tea, or even about pottery—it is about stillness. About grounding. About the gentle weight of the ordinary when seen clearly. Like so many of the most enduring objects in our lives, the teapot and teacup here become something more than their function. They become a moment suspended—between cultures, between eras, between the hand and the eye.
The Finest Materials
“Kyusu Teapot and Teacup” has been meticulously crafted using oil on linen mounted to panel—a combination prized for both its beauty and longevity. The linen provides a finely textured surface ideal for nuanced brushwork, while the rigid panel support ensures long-term stability, preventing warping and preserving the integrity of the painting for generations to come.
The warm amber tones of the wood, the soft shadows of the background, and the reflective gleam of silver are rendered with an earth-toned palette anchored by ochres from Cyprus, umbers from Italy, and ivory black derived from charred bone. Each pigment is chosen not only for its visual properties, but also for its proven ability to stand the test of time.
In both its technique and materials, “Kyusu Teapot and Teacup” pays homage to centuries of craftsmanship—drawing from historical practices while remaining rooted in the quiet attentiveness of contemporary still life.
Painstaking Process
"Kyusu Teapot and Teacup" Ready for your collection today
“Kyusu Teapot and Teacup” measures 8 × 10 inches (20 × 25 cm) and is painted with oil on linen mounted to panel, following time-tested traditional methods.
It is set in a black frame, with outer dimensions of 14 × 16 inches (35 × 40 cm), and is ready to hang on your wall.
The frame offers a quiet counterpoint to the warmth of the painting—its clean lines and matte black finish creating a sense of calm containment. Without calling attention to itself, it gently deepens the tonal contrasts within the image, echoing the quiet elegance of the subject. This subtle separation between frame and painting draws the viewer inward, allowing the delicate interplay of form and light to fully emerge.
In addition to its aesthetic role, the frame offers protection—securing the edges, allowing for subtle air circulation, and helping to preserve the surface over time. It’s a thoughtful finishing touch: elegant, timeless, and well-suited to the contemplative nature of the piece.
This painting is available for acquisition.
Please click the blue button above to purchase, or contact me with any questions.
Scroll down to explore more details about this painting and see additional images.
Shipping
“Kyusu Teapot and Teacup” will ship via USPS Registered Mail with secure packaging and full insurance at no extra charge. Upon shipping, you will receive a tracking number and an estimated delivery date, allowing you to monitor the package’s location and progress. It will ship within two business days of purchase.
Every piece is carefully packed and fully insured for safe delivery. Should any issue arise in transit, I will work with you to resolve it promptly.
Alternatively, if you live within a 50-mile radius of Boston, Massachusetts, I will be happy to deliver the work in person to you.
Guarantee
Your satisfaction is my highest priority. If for any reason you are not completely delighted with your painting, you may return it within 14 days for a full refund or exchange. The artwork must be returned in its original condition and packaging.
Invest with confidence—this painting is designed to bring lasting beauty and enjoyment to your collection.
Your satisfaction is completely guaranteed.
Purchasing This Painting
About These Paintings
These paintings grow out of two sources: On the one hand, a deep love for the great still life tradition of the Dutch Golden Age, and on the other, a life-long interest in meditation.
For both viewer and artist, still life is the perfect opportunity to have that experience which all meditation seems to aim at: complete and total absorption in the present moment. Not the past. Not the future. Just what is in front of you. Right here. Right now.
That moment of quiet, intense connection – that sense of one-ness – is all the inspiration I need… and these paintings emerge from that source.
As such, this isn’t really a personal art. It’s not about me or my views or my ideas.
My role is to step aside, and let these silent moments speak through me.
And there isn’t anything more personal.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this painting, whether it’s about its details, the inspiration behind it, or how it would fit into your space, I’d be happy to answer them.
If you’d like more information about the purchasing process, framing options, or secure shipping arrangements, feel free to reach out.
I take great care in ensuring that each painting is safely packaged and delivered, and I’m happy to discuss any special requests you may have.
Simply use the form below, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
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