Tea Tray

acrylic paint and transparent glazes

Lesley made this intricate tray for a parent group that met for coffee and tea at her son’s school for children with emotional and neurological difficulties. Reflective of the beauty and complexity of her son and the other students, patterns are layered, placed beside one another—but never conflict with one another. Rather, each element is distinctly valued.

There is a balance of fluidity and rigidity. The striped patterns on the inside of the tray engage with fun colors. The base of the tray has a chaotic background that seems to deepen within itself, but above is a carefully depicted spiral pattern reminiscent of filigree and dancing. The border of the tray undulates in a luminous yellow.

The visual nuances of the tray give way to Lesley’s admiration of the nuances of the experiences of her son and his classmates. Complex patterns sit as metaphors for the relationships within ourselves and in our interpersonal relationships that must be navigated. Tea Tray captures the unification of disparate elements in a whole, but which reverberates with each onlooker distinctly.