Karen Gardiner, Owner of ArtfulTea

I’m a devout tea drinker, occasional artist, novice knitter and recovering attorney.  I am obsessive enough about tea to have even tried painting with it (don’t ask), and these days I mostly use skin care products that claim to contain tea because that’s just how fanatical I am.

I am wildly passionate about quality loose leaf tea, and will bend your ear for far too long about anything having to do with tea if you let me.  I get immense joy from searching for and sampling tea from all over the world and even more joy from educating others about tea.

I created ArtfulTea as a follow-up to my last venture – a magical little bookstore and tearoom in Key West called Kindred Spirit.  When we closed the doors after six wonderful years, many of our devoted customers were practically in tears asking where they were going to find the exceptional tea they had grown used to at Kindred Spirit.  Partly at their request, but more likely out of my own shameless desire to have access to the very best teas in the world, I decided to begin an on-line tea business.

The tea collection at ArtfulTea includes many of the teas that were available at Kindred Spirit.  If you ever had the pleasure of sipping a properly prepared cup in that nurturing environment, let me transport you back there with one of the teas you remember.  If you didn’t get the opportunity to have a cup there, you can easily create your own transcendent experience by trying these very special teas.  (I have also expanded the selection to include a few new tea offerings that met my ridiculously high criteria and will continue to add more as I discover others I cannot live without.)

Thank you for trying ArtfulTea.  I am grateful to have the chance to provide you with a perfect cup of tea.

-Karen Gardiner

PS – In case you got the idea that I’m a tea purist, I can trace my love of tea back to childhood where, under my grandfather’s influence, those first cups were more milk and sugar than tea.  Eventually, I learned to appreciate a good green tea or a rare oolong without benefit of any sweetener, but I will sheepishly admit that when it comes to black tea I’m still unable to drink it without at least a little sugar (thanks, Granddad!).