Tea for Two: The Teapots of Gloria and Sonny Kamm
Los Angeles collectors Sonny and Gloria Kamm have created a vast and wide-ranging collection centered on a single item, the teapot. It began as a search for interesting and fun teapots to place in their home. Their interests in contemporary art led them to collect and commission studio craft teapots by a wide range of artists. Envision a teapot made of perforated clay or another made of heavily embroidered fabric or even one made of metal mesh and pistachio shells! Form complicates function.
Gloria has called these concept teapots “delightfully useless” in terms of practical function. And yet in partnership with her husband Sonny, the Kamms see the function of a teapot less as a device for serving the legendary beverage, but rather as a celebrated vehicle for expression. The hospitable and iconic teapot has a 500-year history and has been widely and wildly interpreted by artists and production houses alike. Tea for Two will feature a curated selection giving insight into the inclinations and motivations of the couple. They are also featured in one of the newest Craft in America episodes, Collectors.
Gloria regards contemporary, one-of-a-kind teapots as “containers full of ideas” where the artist has transmuted, by their hands, their worries, celebrations or ponderings into the object. The wide scope of styles and materials in the curated selection will not only cause visitors to marvel, but to also give greater consideration to the structure of a teapot: pot, handle and spout. The irreverent and whimsical interpretations of these integral parts will provide entertaining musing for viewers of all ages.
Unique, one-of-a-kind teapots made by important contemporary designers, architects, painters, sculptors, ceramicists and craftspeople, often with a non-traditional approach to media, are the main thrust of this significant collection. The support that the Kamms have given to hundreds of artists through their purchases and commissions is immeasurable.
The Kamm Teapot Foundation is a non-profit that archives and catalogues the world’s largest and most comprehensive teapot collection of over 17,000 items. The Foundation is a charitable trust, with its purposes being to acquire, preserve, maintain and arrange for the exhibition of teapots, tea sets and teapot-related ephemera.
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Judith Chernoff and Jeffrey Bernstein
Based in Laurel, Maryland, Judith Chernoff and Jeffrey Bernstein are craft advocates and avid collectors. They focus on sculptural and turned wood but collect a range of other media, including baskets, ceramics, fiber and glass.
Over the past thirty years, their wood collection has grown to include outstanding museum quality pieces from artists nationally and around the world. With the belief that sharing their collection with the public is what gives it greater meaning, they recently donated 43 objects in wood to the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery. In addition, over the years, they have opened their home to give educational collection tours to many wood centered groups and those new to wood.
Jeffrey and Judith have each held the position of President of Collectors of Wood Art, Jeffrey from 2009–2010 and Judith from 2014–2016. Judith has also been a volunteer docent at the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery since 2012.
Yolanda González
Yolanda González was born into a family whose artistic heritage dates back to 1877. She is a dynamic multidisciplinary expressionist artist known for her vibrant and emotive works that traverse various mediums, including painting, sculpture, ceramics and installation. Born and raised in Los Angeles, González draws from her rich Chicana heritage and personal experiences to create art that resonates with themes of unconventional beauty, identity and culture. In the span of 40 years as a professional artist, she has developed a unique style which combines bold colors, abstract forms, portraits and powerful narratives, making her a standout figure in the contemporary art scene. González has gained significant recognition for her ability to evoke deep emotional responses through her work, blending traditional and modern techniques to explore the complexities of the human condition. She believes that art is a way to connect people through emotion and dialogue.
Joseph and Sergio Youngblood Lugo
Potters Joseph and Sergio are the great-grandsons of Margaret Tafoya, one of the most famous potters from the Santa Clara Pueblo, and the sons of noted potter Nancy Youngblood. They have mastered the art of ancient ground firing, a process that is contingent on weather, humidity and wind conditions. The Youngblood Lugos draw upon their ancestral knowledge, their understanding of the earth for their traditional firing, and their instincts to achieve the exact chemical reaction that leads to their remarkable pottery.
