Spotlight: Joyful Glassware, 2021 GRAY Awards Finalist

A closer look at the Joyful Glassware, one of four finalists in the 2021 GRAY Awards Product Design, Other category.

Joyful Glassware

Like many creatives around the globe, designer Irina Flore, founder of Portland’s Studio Flore, tapped into her creativity during the COVID-19 quarantine to combat feelings of isolation and monotony. During this time, she started to focus on the everyday objects she interacted with most. Looking to add something cheerful to her daily routine, she started sketching a series of free-form shapes that evolved into a colorful collection of drinkware including a pitcher and three glasses.

“While isolated at home, drinking from the same glass or eating from the same plate every day became monotonous,” Flore says, “and I felt the need to explore the shapes of these everyday objects that surrounded me. I enjoy playing with materials and working on something without planning on what the resulting object will be.”

Given that Flore didn’t have her usual access to a workshop, some good old-fashioned sketching gave the objects their shapes. From there, she moved to a more tactile medium, using paper-cutout models to experiment with forms that would eventually be translated into glass by craftsmen in Istanbul.

“Working with craftsmen while trying to keep traditions alive is important,” Flore says. “I believe the stories behind these beautiful products can make people better appreciate and value everyday objects.”

PROJECT DETAILS

Designer:

Irina Diana Flore

Date of Completion: June 2020