big post of the day

i am a huge, let me repeat, huge fan of esque design- a portland based glass studio run by artists, justin parker and andi kovel. i was thrilled to receive a cd of some great images of their work, so i wanted to share their designs in a larger post, so i could showcase the stunning range of work they produce.

founded by parker and kovel, esque design studio makes its mission "...to achieve a coherent vision of functional home accessories, lighting, and architectural detailing". their interest "is in the inherent attributes of glass, which we infuse into each aspect of the living environment". ackowledging the effect and inspiration of artistic works before them, esque chose a studio name that, "refers to the suffix, and is a nod to the acknowledgment of outside influences and inspirations. the idea that we cannot create in a vacuum, so must rely on our knowledge of the past to assemble our future".

having worked worked together for the past seven years, parker and kovel manage every aspect of the business as a team, from design to packaging. one of the top head glass blowers ("gaffers") in the country, parker is widely known for his skill with glass. in addition to teaching speciality glass classes across the country, parker has exhibited his artwork at various venues, including the brooklyn museum of art.

kovel is well known for her work as not only a designer, but as a glass blower, installation artist and painter. kovel has exhibited with the likes of claus oldenburg, damien hirst, and kiki smith and has taught for the long island university, urban glass, the university of california, and recently was a visiting artist at parson’s school of design.

the collaboration between kovel and parker has created some stunning works of art that clearly have a style of their own. from their brilliant use of color to their mastery of form, esque has created a line of glass lighting and accessories that function as both artwork and practical homegoods. from their gorgeous "cozy" line to their silver pieces, "off" pitchers and root vases, esque has a style that is wide ranging, but distinctly theirs.

my personal favorites are the wonderfully simple "off" series which take traditional ideas of pitchers, vases and caraffes and change the shape slightly, so as to create a melting effect, along with the "cozy" light and votive, which i seriously can't get enough of and the entire lighting collection, which really brings some unique looks to the industry.

esque's entire collection is phenomenal and no matter what your style, there is something for you- which i think is the real beauty of their work- they have really great, basic glasswork (although it's far from basic, it's stunning) and really "out there" pieces for those looking for a bit more edge to their glasswork. you can find more information, ordering details and the full collection at their website, esque design. [thanks, andi!]