VSL.
A series of continuing experiments that started with a curiosity about cutting empty wine and liquor bottles, considering what could be done with the constituent parts.
After showing a few creations at the MISPLACED SHOWCASE in SLC in 2019, I decided to take things a bit further and continue an exploration of reclaimed glass as a component of several lighting artifacts.
Process
Passion is the process, but it all began by sketching simple ideas. With the pandemic in full swing, we doubled down on creative output, leveraging in-house small-scale manufacturing in our prototype shop.
With every failure was an opportunity to learn and to try something new, resulting in interesting combinations of materials and approaches to creating these lighting artifacts.
Make it.
When in doubt, rough it out. Making these designs was an exercise in creatively figuring out multiple approaches at the same time — 3D printing, Glass Cutting, CNC Machining and woodworking.
It is in the failures that we find opportunities to learn and there as no shortage of failure along the way.
Lighting Artifacts.
After several experiments, the following artifacts were creates using glass cutting, CNC machining, 3D printing, woodworking and casting concrete.
Floor Series
The first iterations of the floor series were inspired by Japanese/Scandinavian design and I suspect a bit of subconscious allusion to the form and stance of a grandfather clock came into play. I wanted to create lighting artifacts with presence, but not dominance in a space.
While the initial iterations were somewhat unstable, wanting to provide a stable base, concrete was added as a base for subsequent iterations.
After experimenting with mid-sized lamps and concrete, a cantilevered option was created as well.
The floor lamps round out the showcase with a striking, tapered or weighted visual appearance.
Tabletop
The tabletoppers were among the first experiments, starting with the Box form, evolving into the louvered artifacts and adding the cantilevered/suspended variants.
Box
The frame/box series kicked things off with fractured glass elements sipped in rubber. I was inspired by some earlier dipped glass experiments and found an opportunity when my son, Oliver, broke one of the reclaimed bottles.
Cantilever
The cantilevers are cousins but also tie in to the other designs with similar elements and some approaches to the structure that are related to the floor lamp series. The louvers came as a stroke of inspiration while sketching.
Louver
The louvers were inspired by Japanese architecture and modern kanji. Baltic birch plywood provided a stable material that could be reliably cut and assembled without adhesives.
The Blocks.
The blocks are a simple evolution of the process of creating something special from these raw materials. When I set out to create the blocks, the most important step was finding the right raw materials. Each piece was hand picked and created to complement the reclaimed glass housings.
Where necessary, 3D printed elements were created to support the functionality of the lamp.
Showtime.
With the Covid-19 pandemic in full swing, I decided to host a socially distanced driveway show at my residence for two evenings.
