Custom Light Fixture
A couple years ago, I had the privilege of designing a custom light fixture for a private client. What started as a complimentary gift in a website order turned into the largest commission I’ve done to date, with the final piece spanning seven feet!
Custom Light Fixture, 2024
Back Story
I first connected with this client from an order she placed through my website. After sending an extra Petite Form as a special thank, our email exchange ballooned into her inquired about my interest in doing a custom fixture. I was thrilled at the opportunity and equally transparent about this being my first project at this scale. The client was drawn to the visual nature of mobiles and natural shapes. Through conversation and visual inspiration, we landed on a piece that emanated balance and harmony while still working within the constraints of a deceptively simple design.
The Design
On one side, a 17” diameter, 18 pound piece of blown glass. On the other side (and acting as a counter weight), a chrysalis-like cast ceramic piece that remained hallow to allow for the appropriate weight to be added into it. Bridging the two was a piece of tarnished brass to mimic the look of bronze.
The process
I worked closely with a master glassblower to find the perfect tone of cream glass (a process that proved to be very difficult). After nearly a dozen samples to find the right glass, he and his team to blew the massive “red blood cell” shape, complete the a subtle dimple in the center of the form.
For the ceramic piece, I employed a technical 3D modeler to expedite the prototyping process. We worked shoulder to shoulder to get the curves and shape just so. Once complete, I took the 3D printed blob and used that as the positive shape to make a very large two part plaster mold with a single small pour hole for the ceramic slip. I then casted multiple replicas for back up knowing that glazing and firing this shape would be its own experiment. After some trial and error, I landed on a suspension system that I rigged up in the kiln so the ceramic piece could fire while hanging, allowing for no part of its surface to touch the kiln shelves. (This system was not entirely fool proof as each attempt had some slumping but nothing a persistent Dremel tool couldn’t handle!)
By this point, I was already well into conversation with a local lighting company to fabricate the metal components. In addition to fabrication, they provided engineering support to ensure the load and balance stayed secure upon installation. They utilized the hardware I had already designed for the Ori Sconce as the glass attachment and fabricated their own attachments for the ceramic piece.
As if in an orchestra, all the parts came together as one and despite some unexpected hiccups throughout the process, the custom fixture was shipped and installed with relative ease. More over, the final piece was received by a very happy client.
Custom Light Fixture, 2024
Credits
I owe much of the success of this project to my brilliant collaborators: Anders Rydstedt for glass, Eric Roy for 3D modeling + printing, Conant Metal & Light (specifically Peter) for the engineering, fabrication and final assembly.