The Tea Table

Hi Dear Folk,

I wanted to share with you a memory from my childhood, visiting grandma and grandad, both cutting a slice of bread from the loaf this way.  It's the whole way of holding the bread up close to your body.  You just never see bread buttered and cut this way now, maybe because a lot is already pre-sliced.

If however you want to cut very thin slices of bread for a an afternoon tea, then it is best to butter the bread first and then cut the slice off, which she is doing in this painting, although I'm sure not super thin.

This is such a cozy working family kitchen, which I would be quite happy in.

The Tea Table c.1920

Harold C. Harvey

(1874-1941)

Christy

Tea for Two

Hi Dear Folk,

Isn't this a cool in the idea of temperature, painting? And appeals to me when we are continually topping out at 95 F and the AC has packed up in my car yet again.

Tea for Two

by Anna Todd (b1964)

Simple, some apples in a basket along with chocolate digestive biscuits and iced bakewell tarts. A silver-tone teapot with black Bakelite top nob and handle I'm sure, but you cannot see it in this painting.  The tea-cloth and china is set on the grass in the background, waiting for the couple to come back.

Christy

Tea at the Tea Shop

Hi Dear Folk,

I like these two painting of two friends sharing tea at a tea shop.  I like the thought that they could have aged and mellowed.  In the top painting they look a little prim, but in the bottom painting, just friends nattering about life.

With the younger ladies you definitely know they are sitting in a tea shop, right by the front street display window.  It's a busy street people are passing by and some are looking in at all the good cakes.  They seem a little lost in their own thoughts, but still sharing a quiet space over tea together.

My immediate thought with the older ladies is that they too were sitting in a tea shop, but you cannot so easily tell this, it's just an impression with the clothes they are wearing, their hats are on and the way they are turned in confiding with each other.  The plain white china with white bread sandwiches, almost makes it institutional like the Women's Institute, or maybe they are just sitting in their living room on the sofa.  What do you think?

The Tea Table

Mable Francis Layng (1881 - 1937)

West Park Museum

The Merry Wifes

Paul Montem Clarke (1915 - 1999)

The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery

Tea on the Lawn

Hi Dear Folk,

Lots of lightening, thunder and rain last night so it may have broken the heat wave, but it still feels pretty humid.  Everything dries up quite quickly in this heat so tea on the lawn would be possible today.

On that thought of summer days and tea outside, here we see a simple tea.  She's wearing her hat but I see an umbrella there, or is it a parasol?  Silver kettle and teapot with bone china cups.  Apples and a cottage loaf, it looks like she's waiting for others to join her and the rest of the edibles are still in her basket.

Tea on the Lawn

Marjorie Brooks (1904 - 1980)

Brighton and Hove Museums and Art Galleries

Harvest Tea

Hi Dear Folk,

Even though we've been in a heat wave of over 100 f with high humidity, I'm still aware that summer is drawing to an end, twigs of leaves are already falling off my oak tree.  Summer's end entails the summer harvest.  So this painting of a harvest tea seems most appropriate.

Tea is the elixir of life I think, besides a glass of Drambuie, but wouldn't a harvest tea in such a setting be so special.  I like the stone flagons of which my mum and grandma had a few and I'm sure there's a meat pie in there as well as a blackberry pie, loaves of fresh bread, cheese and butter I would think and apples.  Maybe some elderberry wine or rhubarb which my great grandma used to make and my dad said it was the best, or some elder-flower fizzy pop, although I'm thinking in those flagons it could be apple cider.

In summer my dad would head out to work with a bottle of cold tea, and I do not mean American iced tea.  Just tea with milk and sugar cold, in a bottle.  It never really is too hot in the UK to go bad.  Of course hot tea in a flask in winter.

So I'm starting a little series of "Art of Tea"  posting paintings with a tea theme that I especially like.

Harvest Tea

Mary Martin (b) 1951

National Trust, Cotehele

I was out with an older friend the other day, Rose, and we ran across The Village Teahouse which we are definitely going to try out.  We took a peek in the door and were drawn inside by the lovely atmosphere so will be paying a visit here.

Christy