Color, form, function, and finish: the Firehouse Art Center presents Flirtatious, a solo exhibit from Fort Collins-based ceramicist Alex Zablocki. Filling the gallery with a multitude of cups on shelves and pedestals, the exhibit showcases Zablocki’s playful exploration of process.

“In the studio, multiple constituents of the ceramic vessel are on my table at once, and I deliberate. Their parts come together through a slow thinking of importance. A wheel thrown cylinder becomes a mug as I attach a cast chunk of brightly colored glaze. Disparate parts converge into a familiar form through color and glaze calculation.”

With their bright colors, additive shapes and forms, and finish combinations reminiscent of the Memphis Group, these cups embrace their artistic identity and are far from practically functional. By emphasizing the role of art objects and a joyful celebration of ceramic possibilities, Zablocki invites us to consider the range of artistic expression available within the craft. The pieces themselves often appear to be in the process of making, with drips and precarious constructions – solid yet giving the impression of flux: flirting with humor and our expectations of what a cup should be.