Meet the Designer and Process

As a craftsman, my work has always centered on glassblowing and pottery, rather than industrial product design. I’ve spent years honing my skills in creating one-of-a-kind pieces, and coffee cups were never something I felt compelled to make. The process of shaping handles, applying them, and the space required to create each cup didn’t appeal to me, especially with so many coffee cups already on the market. I preferred throwing bowls on the pottery wheel or working with glass—pieces that felt more expressive and less like mass production.

I had the distinct honor of being commissioned by the Historic New Orleans Collection to design a piece of jewelry representing sugar cane. This project coincided with the collection's reopening after Hurricane Katrina, and a pendant was presented to First Lady Laura Bush during her visit.

Additionally, I was commissioned by Brock Elementary in Slidell, Louisiana, to create a ceramic vessel and a fleur-de-lis pendant. These pieces were given to First Lady Michelle Obama when she visited the school to launch her nutrition program and the NFL Play 60 initiative.

So, I was more focused on one-of-a-kind and limited production pieces.

However, over time, I began to see the value in adding a coffee cup to my portfolio. Once that idea settled in, I started thinking about what my version of a coffee cup could look like. I knew right away that I didn’t want to make another simple, straight-sided cup. I wanted a design with a unique silhouette. And, I was determined not to use a traditional handle, which meant I’d have to come up with something entirely different.

While sitting at the potter’s wheel one day, I decided to throw a cylinder with a bowl shape on top. This felt like the perfect way to bring some innovation to the form. The next challenge was figuring out how to create a lifting mechanism. In the early stages of my design, I added a large, semi-circular flange to the side of the cup, but there was no consideration for ergonomics at that point. I was more focused on the fresh idea of the shape.

Seeking some guidance, I visited my chiropractor with my early concept and asked a few simple questions about what would make the design more ergonomic. With his feedback in hand, I dove into further research. I studied the average hand sizes for men and women, the typical volume of coffee cups, the temperature of coffee, and even the infamous McDonald’s hot coffee lawsuit to understand what might be involved in creating a safer, more comfortable experience.

With this research, I started reworking the design. The focus shifted to ensuring consistency in the size and shape of the cup. I taught myself slip casting and mold making as a way to create more uniform pieces, which helped streamline the process and enhance consistency. I also worked to refine the flange, ensuring it fit comfortably against the thumb. One key concern was protecting the hand from the heat of the coffee, as the hand would need to wrap around the cup’s body.

The next phase of the design process included integrating the new insights. I kept the basic shape and started slip casting single walled vessels. I also created a custom “comfort koozie” to fit around the cup to protect the hand from the heat since the cup was single-walled. While the koozie worked well functionally, it detracted from the design’s visual appeal. To improve the look without sacrificing function, I decided to persue a double-wall design. This would eliminate the need for the koozie and allow the cup to retain heat while keeping the hand safe. The flange would now fit comfortably in the crook of the thumb, allowing the fingers to wrap naturally around the vessel.

During this redesign process, I consulted a licensed occupational therapist to assess the cup’s ergonomic features and ensure it was truly beneficial for users. Their feedback confirmed that the changes I’d made were on the right track.