Arts & Tea Culture Workshop Series #1

Arts & Tea Culture Workshop Series – A Pre-event for A Taste of Tea and Pottery Fundraiser

 The Volcano Art Center (VAC) announces the third annual A Taste of Tea & Pottery event to be held on Sunday, August 25th, from 12noon – 4pm at VAC’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village.

New to this year’s A Taste of Tea & Pottery fundraiser is the addition of a pre-event workshop series focusing on the role of the arts in tea culture and community.  The Arts & Tea Culture Workshops are designed to be attended as a series, providing participants a glimpse into the long history and cultural significance of a handmade tea bowl while highlighting locally produced teas which have become a unique agricultural product for the state of Hawaiʻi.

The Series is open to anyone interested in learning about the relationship between tea, arts and agriculture.  No experience is necessary. The three afternoon workshops are scheduled for Saturdays, May 18^th 12noon – 5pm, June 29^th 1- 4pm and July 27^th 1- 4pm at the Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. ***All workshops require a minimum of 6 participants to be held. Reserve your space today!

Arts & Tea Culture Workshop #1 on May 18^th from 12noon – 5pm

Participants will have the opportunity to hand build porcelain ceramic tea bowls with Volcano artist and tea farmer Chiu Leong. The session will introduce the history of tea bowl culture, a brief overview of local tea farming by Eva Lee and a focused cupping, tasting and education on Hawaii grown white teas.

Arts & Tea Culture Workshop #2 on June 29^th from 1- 4pm

Students who attended workshop #1 will receive their bisque fired tea bowls from the previous session to glaze for high fire completion. In addition, a focused cupping and tasting of locally produced black teas with a brief discussion and demonstration on tea cultivar propagation for attendees to start a few tea plants on their own.

Arts & Tea Culture Workshop #3 on July 27^th from 1- 4pm

Participants will collect their previously glazed bowls (new attendees will receive a new one to use) for the enjoyment of participating in a Japanese Tea Ceremony. It will be performed by artist and Chado practitioner Philippe Nault, along with an introduction to its origin, its evolution and its philosophical development as a “transformative practice”. A discussion on green tea, a brief review of Hawai`i green tea cultivation and production will follow.

The series can be attended for $60 (VAC members) or $75 for non-VAC members.  Individual workshops can be can be attended for $25 each. The first twenty members to register for all three workshops receive A Taste of Tea & Pottery ticket on Aug 25^th for half price!  Registration is limited, call 967-8222 to register today! To purchase tickets, enroll for the workshops, or get more information about our August 25^th A Taste of Tea & Pottery event call Volcano Art Center at 808-967-8222.

Proceeds from these special events will be used to help support the “Fire Arts” Program at VAC which includes ongoing ceramics and glass classes and workshops at the Volcano Art Center. The Volcano Art Center is dedicated to offering these programs which, in part thanks to funds raised, are now expanding and include high-fire pottery, flame-worked glass, and stained glass, and ceramic classes for students of the nearby Volcano School of Arts and Sciences.