Tropical Bird Mug

Year

2025

Dimensions

Materials

Ceramics Clay and Glaze

Tropical Bird Mug began as a hand-built mug with three tropical birds: a flamingo, a parrot, and an owl. While developing the design, I realized a toucan's long beak could become the handle instead of remaining another decoration. That decision changed the whole piece. One of the birds was no longer sitting on the mug; it became part of how the mug worked. I built the birds in raised relief, shaped the toucan beak so it could function as a handle, then glazed and kiln-fired the piece. The most important part of the process was recognizing that an image could solve a structural problem instead of only making the surface more interesting.