Watercraft - tea infuser sterling silver, ruby, diamond 2 5/8 x 1 ¾ x 1 1/8”, 2003     A cup of tea, prepared from a teapot or infuser, attests to culture’s skilful transformation of nature: the leaves of a bush are transformed by human craft, from the expertise of the tea grower to the social ceremony of tea drinking. My choice of the human hand as a shape for teapots and infusers refers to human craft generally. The work presented here explores the interpretation, history, and cultural meaning of teapots and tea strainers.