Amber Cowan

This basin was formed entirely of recycled Colony Harvest pressed milk-glass tableware, produced by the Lancaster Colony Corporation from the 1950s to the 1970s. A close look reveals a looped cup handle attached to a section decorated with the pattern’s signature grape leaves. The vessel’s mostly naturalistic elements were flame-worked and hot-sculpted, then fused in a kiln.

Amber Cowan describes her desire “to reference the history of the pressed-glass industry and bring into focus the feeling of its past glory and forlorn future.” By upcycling these vintage discards, she supports sustainable design, a concern of contemporary object making.

–Elizabeth A. Williams, David and Peggy Rockefeller Curator of Decorative Arts and Design