Writing about style, design and all things that catch my eye!

Perfectly imperfect and casually luxe; these are a few of my favorite things.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

The Art of the Urn










Blue Sky urn by Timothy Foss, exclusively at Lundgren Monuments

Just look at these handcrafted, designer urns available at Lundgren Monumentsthe brainchild of my talented friend of many years, Seattle's own everywhere man and multimedia artist Greg Lundgren who is also the co-owner of two popular lounges on First Hill: The Hideout and Vito's (with another friend; business partner Jeff Scott). Greg's history as a cast glass designer and artist eventually lead to him creating the most stunning glass memorials imaginable. If we could see a cemetery filled with these creations, we might be blinded by the light.  To see what I mean, be sure to check out his photo album on the Lundgren Monuments Facebook Page

He has certainly filled a void in what is historically a desolate grey granite landscape. 

Thinking of interiors though, I am focusing on these local urns created by artists, artisans & architects willing to bring innovation, beauty and sometimes a bit of fun to this otherwise stagnant field. They are works of art that would fit into any home regardless of their purpose. Of course, there's no denying that in actuality, these are intended for the ashes of real people who were loved, cherished, and taken care of by any one of us though. With the probability of it being the most emotionally charged item in your home, who would want anything less? I give a special nod of appreciation to the artists who've created such possibilities even.  

Of note, I've found that if you spend one minute in a traditional, conservative funeral home, you will likely be appalled by your lack of choices. From rectangular wooden containers that look like cigar humidors, to (I kid you not) a giant scalloped shell made of a biodegradable material meant to be tossed into the water, you will quickly see that this is typically an uninspired industry filled with sad looking options.

But these ones, OH, MY! They are extraordinary, and at the heart of them is the belief that we are all diverse, exceptional individuals. If only for the sake of viewing great art, take a look at these stunners:









Large Fir Heart Vessel By Arne Pihl, exclusively at Lundgren Monuments



Lego urn by Greg Lundgren


Wood and glass urn by Greg Lundgren

Future: by the architecture firm Chadborn+Doss

Leather wood & bag urn by Ian Butcher

Glass House urn by Greg Lundgren
All photos used courtesy of Greg Lundgren

3 comments:

  1. This post is for my late brother Matt; the deep green one that Tim created was indeed perfect beyond compare. Thanks again to Tim & Greg for making a difference.

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  2. Thank you for posting this. I recently lost my father and am appalled at the options. Being an art lover, I was searching for a piece or art that could work as an urn. I'm excited to see someone has already thought of this! I work in Fremont so I can't wait to visit the studio.

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  3. Thank you for commenting! I'm so glad you saw this post right at this time of loss for you-- and I hope it helped out. Did you make it into the studio yet? Greg is wonderful to work with, and his calm demeanor and sense of understanding is notable. Best of thoughts to you...

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