Craftspring is proud to host Odes to Common Things, a collaborative exhibition with Tea Arts & Culture, as part of our Community Artists Showcase. This immersive experience brings together poetry writing, intentional tea space, and interactive art offerings rooted in shared rituals and everyday beauty.
Inspired by Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, whose Odes to Common Things celebrated the beauty in the ordinary, this traveling art and community project invites visitors to reflect on what we share, what we notice when we slow down, and what connects us to each other.
“The art of tea, much like the art of poetry, is steeped in tradition and culture but leads in the end to a deeper appreciation of everyday life and a deeper appreciation of what we have in common.”
– Pablo Neruda (1904–1973)
As part of Tea Arts & Culture’s ongoing community engagement, we also invite the public to contribute objects and the stories behind them to this project. These items – small, meaningful, ordinary – may be featured in future community art initiatives.
This exhibition marks a new stage of Tea Arts & Culture’s Odes to Common Things project and the publication of their poetry book: 100 Odes to Common Things with Tea, with collections of the poems written by participants in 2024. A special reading and preview of the book will be part of the festivities.
If you have a piece of teaware that is broken or has a missing part, bring the pieces and join us to share the story.
In a world where many feel disoriented or fractured, this exhibition offers a gentle reminder: in the act of pouring tea, reading a poem, or honoring the story of a common item, we find belonging, connection, and hope. Through the practices of Tea Arts & Culture, we remember that what is ordinary is often what is most profound.
We invite you to gather with us. To sip. To share. To reflect. To be part of something lovely.
