Several months ago, we asked Lu Wen Xia to make a funky bamboo teapot for us.  Her response was that she would expect me to ask her to make the most artistically demanding teapot in her repertoire, and that, since she knew how demanding my artistic tastes were, she would make one that was extra special.

Over those months, she made several attempts and decided that they were not good enough, so, she started over.  In addition, her husband, Lu Jian Xing, a famous Yixing sculptor and teapot maker, decided to lend a hand.  The couple has done joint teapot art, in the past, and we recently helped them with documentation and interviews when the Houston Museum of Fine Art included some of their teapots in their collection.  In fact, afterward, they told us that they had the feeling to do some collaborative work, again, and we told them that we would take it.  However, it was a pleasant surprise that they also wanted to work together on this special teapot for us.

They came to Guangzhou, this week, to visit, and they brought their new work along to personally present to us.  We have titled it "Crushed Bamboo", and we show a picture of it, below.



Not only is it special because it is one of a kind and because both Lu's worked on and signed it, but Lu Wen Xia also told us that she added special touches that she has never added to her teapot art, before this.  Those touches include the following features.  Both a ladybug and a firefly on the teapot, whereas, she has only ever before, included one insect.  There is wormholes and "cracks" on the bottom of the teapot, like you might find in a real bamboo log.  The manner in which the teapot is scruched on the lower half is unique to this teapot.

We appreciate the teapot, but we appreciate, even more, that both Lu Wen Xia and Lu Jain Xing wanted to work on it together to make something truly special for the teapot art collection of Leona Craig Art.  To see more pictures of the teapot, please, follow the link, which can also take you to the Lu Wen Xia and Lu Jian Xing teapot art pages of the gallery:  http://www.leonacraig.com/catalogue_art_gallery/Teapots/crushed_bamboo_lu_wen_xia.htm

Also, look for sculpture from Lu Jian Xing, coming soon to the Leona Craig Art Gallery online http://www.leonacraig.com/Leona_Craig_Catalogue.htm