After sharing an overview of the Orbit Collection in our first Miami update, I wanted to take you a little deeper into the making of these pieces: from the earliest clay studies to the resin forms shown in Copenhagen, and finally to the bronze works being revealed at the fair.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Design Miami, making it a particularly meaningful moment to share this evolution. I am honored to be part of the Design Miami 2.0 section curated by Glenn Adamson, a presentation that highlights studios pushing material and sculptural exploration forward. It feels like the right context for the Orbit Collection to take its next step.
Clay Stage: How Orbit Began
Each shape in the Orbit Collection began as a clay model in my San Francisco studio. I sculpted the first forms intuitively, working directly with the material and allowing the silhouettes to emerge organically. The rounded bodies swell into generous curves and softened edges that create a flowing sculptural rhythm. My meditation practice and recurring themes of balance, movement, and interconnectedness deeply influence these shapes.
During silent retreats spent in complete darkness, I often had the sensation of being very small within the vastness of the universe. From that quiet space, images began to surface, and I understood that these were forms I needed to bring into the world.
The initial gesture, the quiet motion of an orbiting line, found its form in the clay. These early studies were essential. The proportions needed to feel cosmically balanced, giving each piece the confidence to stand as a sculpture while remaining welcoming. The surfaces still carry the subtleties of my hands. These gentle indentations remain part of the final design.
Resin Stage: Shown in Copenhagen
The Orbit Collection first debuted in resin during 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen earlier this summer.
These resin versions had smooth, luminous surfaces that caught light in shifting ways, bright in the day and glowing at night. The forms possessed a softness with gentle curves that seemed to float and interact with their surroundings. The matte finish softened reflections while the substantial resin gave each piece real weight and presence.
This initial presentation allowed us to share the nascent ideas of the collection. The pieces worked as standalone sculptures yet maintained enough versatility to function in various spaces. The resin material, central to Tina Frey Designs since its inception, allowed the forms to feel both playful and refined.
Transition Into Bronze: For Design Miami
For Design Miami, the Orbit forms have evolved into something new, realized in bronze for the first time.
The change in material brings a profoundly different character to the work. The bronze has steady weight that provides sculptural presence even when left empty. Where the resin versions had softness and lightness, the bronze pieces reveal something deeper in their curves, an enduring strength and quiet confidence.
The surfaces are hand-polished to preserve the natural striations from the original clay models. You can see where my hands shaped the forms, those organic variations that come from working directly with material. The metal holds these marks differently than resin, creating texture and depth that changes as the light shifts throughout the day.
The Orbit Collection draws from astronomy, meditation, and the quiet movement of celestial paths. Each piece explores balance and interconnectedness, with proportions that feel refined without being rigid. The forms are substantial yet approachable, grounding without heaviness. In bronze, the sculptural elegance becomes even more pronounced while maintaining the welcoming quality I'm always working toward.
Each of the three Orbit pieces expresses the idea of an orbiting path in its own way. Rounded planes intersect through the center, creating soft, continuous curves that feel as if they’re gently moving around an invisible axis. They share a visual rhythm, but each one stands on its own with a distinct presence. Together, they create a constellation: connected, but never identical.
Photo by Benedetto Rebeca
I Hope to See You in Miami
Public Days: December 3–7
Location: Convention Center Drive & 19th Street, Miami Beach, USA
We'll share updates throughout the fair and look forward to sharing more details about our new Bronze Orbit Collection.
You can follow along at @tinafreydesigns.
I can't wait to show you more!
- Tina
