So many stories are shared over a cup of tea:

Warming the pot, pouring the tea, the familiar feel and weight of a much-used tea pot.

Getting out the cups, the feel of your favourite cup in your hands, the warmth of the tea. 

The careful handling of the good cups, a gift for a wedding, an anniversary.

Cups or mugs? Does tea taste better in a china cup?

Tea caddies for teabags, or loose leaf tea, tea strainers, reading the leaves.

We share stories over a cup of tea as part of our arts programme for older adults called Lonradh.

Lonradh (pronounced lun-rah) is an Irish word which means to illuminate.

In the slide show below, Gillian and Inge share elements of our current postal project, while warmly inviting you to share a cuppa!

Slide 1

‘Tea for two and two for tea’

Image: Gillian Cussen, 2021

Slide 2

Lonradh in a Box is the current Lonradh programme, following on from the Lonradh at home series of videos posted on the Crawford Art Gallery’s website. https://crawfordartgallery.ie/lonradh-at-home-video/ .

Image: Gillian Cussen, 2021

Slide 3

Image: Gillian Cussen, 2021

Slide 4

For Lonradh in Box we are compiling a series of ‘Art Envelopes’ to send to participants at home.
Each ‘Art Envelope’ contains a theme, suggested activities, art materials and a number printed images of works from the Crawford Art Gallery’s permanent collection.

Mainie Jellett, Abstract Hemisphere, watercolour on paper, Crawford Art Gallery Collection

Slide 5

Mainie Jellett, Abstract Hemisphere, watercolour on paper, Crawford Art Gallery Collection

Slide 6

Sharing a cup of tea has always been central to the Lonradh sessions.
We would like to invite you to share a cup of tea with us.

Slide 7

Image: Inge Van Doorslaer, 2021

Slide 8

How do you make tea? Do you scald the pot first? Do you leave it brew? Milk in first? How many tea bags?

Image Gillian Cussen, 2021

Slide 9

Image Gillian Cussen, 2021

Slide 10

The careful handling of the good cups, a gift for a wedding, an anniversary.
Cups or mugs? Does tea taste better in a china cup?

Image: Inge Van Doorslaer, 2021

Slide 11

Image: Inge Van Doorslaer, 2021

Slide 12

Would you like to draw your favourite cup or tea pot?

Recent drawing from participants Eileen and Áine Corcoran

Slide 13

Recent drawing from participants Eileen and Áine Corcoran

Slide 14

Any thoughts that come to mind? The sound of the kettle boiling, the feel of the tea leaves, the smell of loose tea, freshly made tea.

Portrait of Anthony Cronin 1977, by Edward Mc Guire

Slide 15

Portrait of Anthony Cronin 1977, by Edward Mc Guire

Slide 16

Thank you
Gillian and Inge Lonradh Artist Facilitators. For more information you can contact us by:
email:lonradh@crawfordartgallery.ie
or by phone: 021 4907857 Anne Boddaert Curator/Programme Manager.

Recent drawing from participants Eileen and Áine Corcoran

Suggested Activities

Feel free to try any or all of the following suggestions.

Take your favourite item associated with tea/tea making and draw it.

1. Create a simple print using carbon paper.
   Put the shiny side of the carbon paper face down on your
   sketchbook page. Use a sharp pencil or biro to draw on the carbon
   paper. Lift the paper every so open to have a look at your drawing.
   The carbon paper will make the drawing look like a print.
2. Tea can stain, so if you brush it onto paper or soak the paper in a
   bowl of cold tea, when dry it will give an aged look.
3. List some thoughts that come to mind associated with tea.
4. Such as, the sound of the kettle boiling, the feel of the tea leaves,
   the smell of loose tea, freshly made tea.
5. Can you think of any sayings you might know about tea?
   For example, ‘So strong you could trot a mouse on it or so weak
   you’d take it outside for fear it would faint’
   ‘Life is like a cup of tea, it’s all in how you make it’
6. How about a poem or a song?

Some interesting reading about Tea:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/a-taste-for-tea-1.1366186

This activity is part of our Lonradh programme for older adults, their family members and their carers, devised and facilitated by Gillian Cussen and Inge Van Doorslaer. 

For more information you can contact us by 
email: lonradh@crawfordartgallery.ie 
or by phone: 021 4907857
Anne Boddaert Curator/Programme Manager.