The Dish Rack

I have a recent confession to make: I'm a bit of a snoop. When I go to someone's house, I like to check out their mug cupboard in the hopes that I'll find some gems... gems being hand-made mugs. I found this out about myself this past summer when we were staying with some friends on our holidays. I was putting away their dishes and soon found an amazing crystaline teacup/mug behind all the generic mugs. Turns out the mug had a story to tell- how my friend found it, who had made it and how much joy it brings her whenever she has a cup of tea in it. Isn't that cool!?- how a mug can tell a story. Since that's the case, my cupboards tell a lot of stories. I've started 'collecting' my own mugs since 1994- that's when I was good enough on the wheel to make more than a door stopper for a mug! I have to confess that I don't use them all and I certainly have my favourites, but it's great to look back on how I've grown and where I got my inspiration for my current work.
I've also decided to officially collect espresso cups from other potters. I've been buying espresso cups regularily for Dean - he's a serious coffee snob and drinks black espresso at least twice a day. The other day I just had to buy one from the BC Gallery of Ceramics- it's by Dawn- don't quite know her last name, but she's finishing up at Emily Carr University and she's this months' featured artist. I thought her work was great- a lot of play with colour and glazes and finishes- a little gold lustre around the rim and a pearlescent glaze inside with a really interesting shape to boot.
So anyways, that's what's going in my dishrack these days- what's in yours?