When I moved back to the Upper Delaware Highland area in 2018, my passion for making things was once again stimulated by my surroundings. I was especially inspired by the people in my last book, Living Upriver, Artful Homes, Idyllic Lives, and the way they share their life, art and craft with their community. In 2021 I leased a 100-year-old derelict car showroom space in nearby Hawley, PA and began thinking of what to create next. My choice to make lamp shades may appear random, but it is one of few remaining lifestyle objects that hasn’t changed for decades and became somewhat bourgeois as a result. I like the challenge of carefully turning the expected into the unexpected.
Making the actual “shade" from two metal rings and sheets of paper turned out to be a finicky and painstaking craft that forced me to focus and slow down. A good thing! Living in the woods, nature’s patterns inspire me in subliminal ways. I have made pen and ink drawings that echo nature’s patterns, from doodles to art, for decades.
With Shades of Nature, I draw on fine Japanese rice paper, as the first evolution of the plain white shade to something more thoughtful. Incorporating dried Hosta leaves and other plants between two layers of rice paper, was the next step, as I use light, on and off, to create an unexpected dimension, revealing the x-ray-like dimension of the dried plants.
The nature shades are made from two rings that fit traditional lamp bases with a “harp”. The video shows the process of how the elements come together. As I am making, I discover ways to challenge and experiment with this traditional craft, and I look forward to expanding on the collection with different techniques, materials and shapes. Stay tuned here and on the Living Upriver Instagram. The shades are available at pop up events and can be ordered via Instagram and E-mail.
