Sunday, August 10, 2014

Tea?

The art assignment: draw and watercolor a patterned teacup. I own mugs—heavy mugs. At one time I collected mugs from every National Park we visited. Over time the decals wore off or the mugs developed coffee stains. When collecting park mugs grew old I began to collect mugs from coffee houses. My favorite came from Moab, Utah.

I gave that up when I realized that bookstores began to sell mugs.

When our mug stand gave way and we bought a new stand with fewer protrusions for mugs, I stored them in the closet; however, they took up too much room. Some became containers for pencils, paint brushes, and assorted bookmarks.

But I did have one teacup. My mother collected "look alike" teacups. These were knock-offs—imitations of fine China. Her collection was small—perhaps six or seven. When you live in a three room apartment the size of a collection must be monitored.

She called them her antiques because the patterns were, supposedly, replications of ancient patterns. She also collected, if two is a collection, Chinese bowls. I have one upstairs. It holds a philodendron my mother gave me when I first moved into the condo—thirty-two years ago.

Repotted, cut back and given a window view.

I brought my mother's teacup and saucer downstairs and sketched the cup and saucer—even the gilt edges and floral design.

Too bad I never thought of buying her a top of the line tea cup. But I expect that she enjoyed the hunt for the "almost just like it" cup.

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