LIFE BEYOND FIRST CLASS
DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE
CRYSTAL CLOUDS
New York-based designer Jonathan Hansen has released a whimsical collection of handcrafted crystal glassware inspired by clouds.
Staring at the clouds as they move across the sky and seemingly melt into different shapes has captured the human imagination for millennia, inspiring countless works of art, poetry, and music. Recently, New York-based designer Jonathan Hansen expressed the ephemeral magic of clouds in a collection of handcrafted and engraved crystal glassware that will bring a touch of whimsy to the home.
“Capturing in a transparent material a subject that is itself a mass of water drops, constantly moving and alive, was a big part of my idea behind the In the Clouds collection,” reveals Hansen. “The engravers were able to create a beautiful sense of movement through the varying engraving depths, and in combination with the refraction of light and transparency of the crystal, the clouds come to life.”
The collection, titled In the Clouds, is the designer’s first signature glassware collection and has been brought to life by master craftsmen of the Bohemian crystal tradition in the Czech Republic. It features ten pieces, ranging from stemless wine goblets and oldfashioned glasses to a classically formed water jug, and each piece is available in either clear or stormy grey-tinted crystal.
Hansen has previously explored the theme of clouds in a collection of bespoke hand-painted Limoges porcelain tableware for prestigious French brand Marie Daâge. While the Jonathan Hansen x Marie Daâge Ciels Bleus collection set the clouds against a clear blue sky, the finely engraved clouds of the In the Clouds collection float against a translucent crystal sky, giving the pieces an otherworldly lightness. This sense of fragile beauty is emphasized by the layered depth of the hand-engraved clouds.
The collection is now available for pre-order on leading design and fashion retailer Moda Operandi, ranging from $180 for a tumbler to $630 for the jug.