Urns as Art: Unique Works in Glass and Clay

For a group of Portland, Oregon artists, creating urns is an extension of their artistic passions and values expressed in glass and clay, creating one-of-a-kind objects that would be at home in any art gallery or museum. These works of art make up the collection of Solstice Urns, part of our exclusive, limited edition urn offerings at Afterall’s Memorial Store.

The makers at these three Pacific Northwest studios each have a unique take on their craft and their relationship to the materials they use. The result is beautiful, creative memorials for families to honor their loved ones. You can learn more about our Solstice makers here.

Vitreluxe: ‘Time, Temperature and Tempo’

According to designer-artist Lynn Read of Portland’s Vitreluxe studio, “Glassblowing is a meditation. Selecting the palette, refining the shape, or keeping your balance. You move in time and temperature with a tempo that is constantly changing.“ Read uses a number of unique techniques to create the ethereal transparency, optical intrigue, malleability, and material versatility of blown glasswork. The studio name is inspired by the words “vitreous,” literally “glass-like,” referring to the brilliant luster of glass, and “deluxe,” capturing the expression of the mid-century style’s commitment to quality. The Vitreluxe team has been creating work for nearly 25 years on work that expresses a Spartan design sensibility.

See Vitreluxe Glass’s Halo Urn in our Memorial Store or on the Solstice website.



Terra Noir: ‘Clay Like a Dance’

Another of the Solstice makers working in clay is Wil Labelle of Terra Noir. “The experience of listening to what the clay wants to do is an exchange, much like a dance,” he explained. Labelle’s time and hard work under production potters helped him gain experience in creating objects meant to be functional, handled, used, and enjoyed for decades. Labelle has been influenced by Japanese and Eastern pottery but works in the English style, paring down the project and design to the essentials with forms that are of superior function and lasting quality.

See Labelle’s Moon Urn in our Memorial Store or on the Solstice website.



Culp Pottery: Curiosity and Craft

Carson Culp of Culp Pottery has been following his curiosity around the world to explore and inspire his craft. His apprenticeships and artist residencies, including one in Japan, have helped him discover new ways of working with the material and shaped his body of work with a unique sensibility of the places along his journey. Culp’s pieces pair traditional techniques with modern approaches. 

See Carson Culp’s Duality Urn in our Memorial Store or on the Solstice website.

More Than an Urn

Though each artist and studio is mindful that their work should be crafted to be enjoyed for decades, these pieces go beyond their functional purpose. Solstice Urns are created to be a piece of art as unique as the one that was loved.

To see more of our choices of Solstice Urns, visit our Afterall Memorial store or visit the Solstice website.