The client commissioning these illustrated bowls was looking for custom ceramic pieces that honored the recipient’s father, Maurice Lucas, so it was important to create something truly unique and intimate based on specific memories and elements that were personal to his family because they already owned plenty of more generic memorabilia. I took the tongue design from the custom shoe, and customized it further in my illustration, bringing in a swoosh shaped rose symbolizing the Rose City. On one bowl, the laces shape themselves into the number 77, for the year the Blazers won the NBA Championship. On another bowl, I recreated the heel tab with the name Luke stretched out to reference a family photo provided by Mr. Lucas’ son in law. In my color palette I matched the aged, bright red of the heel tab and Nike swoosh and the way the white leather and laces had weathered into an off-white cream and grey, especially in the seams. The weathered color palette spoke to the sense of nostalgia we have for this decade, especially for Portland Trail Blazer fans, as well as Maurice Lucas’ family, as this was his peak time of greatness in the sport.

The bowls were presented as gifts to Mr. Lucas’ daughter and remain meaningful, heirloom pieces in their home.