As stimulating as a fresh brewed pot of tea itself, the artwork in the 9 For Tea show promises to please the senses, soothe the spirit, and tease the intellect. With unique and innovative approaches, the artists of The Main Gallery in Redwood City provide a contemporary look at the ancient subject of tea in this show which runs from February 14th through March 18th.

Next to water, Tea is the worlds most consumed beverage. Its colorful history is steeped in ritual, myth, and a lesson in geography as the dried and infused leaves of the Camellia sinensis, a Far East native, traveled from the East to the West. Today, its popularity knows no boundaries and from Hangzhou to Zanzibar more than 700 billion cups a year are prepared and served.

The myths, traditions, and vessels that hold the celebrated leaves have captured the imaginations of these artists. They have created engaging paintings, pastels, innovative sculpture and mixed media work and, of course, contemporary ceramic teapots and cups. From the traditional-elegant, to the off-the-wall fun and funky, the originality of the work in this show is truly engaging. Whether you are a tea aficionado or simply an art lover, this show is a must see.

Tea related events will take place at the gallery throughout the show and The Republic of Tea will offer a sampling of this delicious brew during the reception on Sunday, February 18 th from 4 to 7 p.m. The Main Gallery is located in the classic Victorian house at 1018 Main Street at the corner of Main and Middlefield. Please visit the gallery's web site for more information at: http://www.themaingallery.org/

About the artists and the art:

•  Mixed media artist Lois Parks deCastro, a devoted tea drinker, is fascinated by the patterns in tea bags. Their gauzy delicate-yet-strong textures suggests the crone's wrinkles, the mountains of the sierra, cracks in the sidewalk, a scroll uncovered and presenting its mysteries ~ all to be revealed in her collage works.

•  Mixed Media artist Debora Crosby uses tea bags as the medium to explore the nature of gravity and levity in her abstract work. Creating teacups out of old maps of China and the ancient world, she alludes to the role that tea plays in determining the fate of world events in her piece titled ÒTea and DiplomacyÓ. The art of fortune telling is not forgotten in her piece that pays homage to the ÒNelros cup of fortuneÓ. Puns abound in every work and the viewer will have much to discover in these enchanted artist musings.

•  Sculptor Linda Mau creates teapot sculptures made from steel wire and porcelain paper clay in her ÒMemoriesÓ series. They are her interpretation of the structure of a good family: first the wire (the parents) supplies the support, then after firing, the roles are reversed (representing maturation) as the clay supports the wire.

•  Painter and pastel artist Terri Wilson Moore approaches tea from the standpoint of cultivation. She gives us large pastels of tea planting in mysterious eastern climes.

•  Ceramic and mixed media artist Judith Serebrin will have mysterious teapot inspired containers, a ÒLow-teaÓ set, and drawings of her beloved and healing Kukicha tea twigs.  

•  Mixed media artist Ginger Slonaker's wry sense of humor is revealed as she layers paint, pastel, and pencil to expose ÒTÓ associations, illustrating feelings, words and behavior related to the word and sound ÒTÓ.

•  Ceramic artist Karen Truesdell has created a life-sized tea-drinking companion as well as her fine teacups and teapots of white stoneware. Her distinctive patterned surfaces define her sculpture and the many cups, pots and sugar bowls.

• Sculptor and ceramic artist Susan Wolf brings Alice in Wonderland delight to her tea sets and wall sculpture.   Her ingenuity and originality are at their finest with her ceramic tea fountain.