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the bottle vase project

the bottle vase project

The Bottle Vase Project was inspired by a collection of plastic trash from the river Maas in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. After reading about plastic soup, I started looking more carefully at the river running through my home town and found plastic waste that had been accumulating there since the 1960s.

By creating durable colorful porcelain bottle vases copies of the material I find, I’m trying to spread awareness of this growing problem. The colorful porcelain bottle vases are available in a variety of shapes and colors which makes a really nice rainbow!

plastic soup

An area in the North Pacific Ocean, also known as ‘the great pacific garbage patch’, is characterized by exceptionally high concentrations of plastics that have been trapped there by the circulating currents. Plastic waste drifts there from all over the world, after floating down rivers into seas. Plastics are not biodegradable; they only break down into smaller pieces called microplastics. These are extremely dangerous as they enter the food chain and threaten all kinds of species, including human beings.

rainbow

The colours of the Bottle Vase Project are all inspired by the colours of the plastic finds, faded by the water and the sun they become very mat pastels. We use pigments that we mix into the clay, instead of coloured glaze (however the inside is glazed translucently to make the vase waterproof). The dept of the colour varies with the place of the vase in the kiln, in the lower parts the temperature ‘only’ reaches 1290 degrees Celcius so these colours develope slighty less than the colours high in the kiln that reach over 1300 degrees Celcius. It is important to keep in mind this is a digital experience on a screen that might be different in real life, depending on your screen, lighting at home etc. I choose these colours to mix and match perfectly, it’s impossible go wrong, but don’t hesitate to contact us with questions.

powder

pink

old red

blush

orange

salmon

warm yellow

sun

fresh yellow

post it

spring

moss

dark green

world mint

maas mint

light blue

bright sky

dark blue

delft

old purple

lavender

powder

pink

old red

blush

orange

salmon

warm yellow

sun

fresh yellow

post it

spring

moss

dark green

world mint

maas mint

light blue

bright sky

dark blue

delft

old purple

lavender

world collection

world collection

People all over the world were inspired by the Bottle Vase project and have cleaned beaches at home or on holiday. The world collection consists of bottles from all over the world and is being handmade near Aveiro in Portugal. The collection may expand as long the plastic soup problem exists.

maas collection

maas collection

For the past 7 years Foekje collaborated together with Middle Kingdom, a company led by a husband-wife team, the Jias. They combine their love for Chinese history with their passion for traditional craft. In their Jingdezhen workshop, they give a contemporary voice to classic porcelain techniques. Inspired by history and other artistic disciplines, Middle Kingdom’s craftsmen remain faithful to the materials and their artistry.

limited editions

limited editions

Each year one or two limited editions are launched that are hand-numbered and come in a special handmade collectors box. This series is handmade near Aveiro, Portugal. Please keep on sharing pictures of the vases you find during beach cleanups, on Instagram and tag @foekje_fleur so I can easily find you. The best entries will be invited to send in their bottles and will receive a copied porcelain trophy! Good luck!

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care instructions

Please follow these instructions to keep the outer surface of this bottle vase in a pristine state. After using the vase, wash the bottle with mild soap, warm water, and a brush. Leave it to dry on a clean towel. Grease stains can be removed by rubbing in soft soap, leaving it overnight, and cleaning as directed above. Always keep this bottle indoors and store in a dry place as moist dirt might get into the outer surface over time. Liquids can also be stored in the bottle vase; we suggest using a cork to close the bottle.

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