Sweet Paul Magazine - Holiday 2010

How did you get started creating things? I always liked to make things since I was a little kid. I would take the balsa wood that my dad and brother would use to make model airplanes and turn it into things for my room. I had these grand ideas of what I would do in my room when I got older—like I always wanted to put a hammock in there.

always be different, but with veneer, it’s very regular.

How about these shades specifically? How did you get started making these?

It’s based on something I came across when I was walking down the street. I found these old metal egg baskets people used to use—this kind of a globe, sphere shape, and for some reason it occurred to me to weave wood through it. So I kept doing different shapes. The way the light shines through the wood looked really good.

Where do you find your inspiration? Well, almost everyone always says they’re inspired by nature, and I would say leaves and petals are my biggest inspirations. But, for me, it’s the shapes. I see shapes, as opposed to colors and textures.

Were you a wood-worker? What led you to work with that material?

When I did the first lamp it was with balsa wood, as a kid I played around with that. I hadn’t done any wood-working. I’ve tried to make furniture, but the stuff I do, it doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s not actual wood-working where you have to be so precise. I like more organic shapes and natural forms, which is why I’d like to do some other things with pillows or using fabric.

You’re originally from California, why did you make the move from the west coast to Brooklyn? I’ve been in New York about four years now. I had barely even been to Brooklyn. My sister lives in Manhattan and I had been to visit her a lot, but for some reason I had this idea of myself being in Brooklyn and making things here. There’s a lot going on here in terms of design that I wanted to be a part of. I’m still slowly just starting on the path of where I want to be, and all the things I want to make and do.

lamps, especially the hydrangea lamp they used, over several weeks because it’s very physically tiring. So I did it, and I was really exhausted when I showed up to start filming. I was already in this out-of-it state, then to be there, it was really weird—not to mention seeing yourself on TV. But Genevieve Gorder is so extremely nice.

How much of the design blogs and community do you keep up with, for inspiration and such?

I feel sometimes like I’m over-stimulated. I find, I can go a long time off of a little bit of inspiration. I feel like if I look too much, my attention can be taken in too many directions. I used to have this experience a lot where I would see a lamp or see something and think, “such beautiful things already exist, why am I even doing this?” But of course, it can work the opposite way, too.

How is it having people react with the products you make?

Definitely it’s so weird. I’ve been doing this for a long time, but I hadn’t sold them. I was just giving them to friends. Then when I started selling them and I got coverage, I was looking at the comments that people have made. It’s a little uncomfortable, it’s usually positive, but you’re never 100 confident about something you create, at least I’m not.

You mention the physical toll, this isn’t light work by any means. How do you deal? It’s mostly just my hands and shoulders. Especially with the hydrangea lamp, it’s hundreds of those little pieces and I stamp them out by hand. I’ve tried other methods— you can send veneers to laser cutters who’ll cut them for you, but that leaves burnt edges on the perimeter. But I like the look of the way I do it the best, which is the thing with handmade goods— you have total control over it and it will look exactly how you want, but it takes a lot out of you.

How did you move from the balsa wood to the veneers you use now?

I started with the balsa wood because it’s very transparent, but it turned out to be too soft. It almost starts to decay a little bit. Someone suggested that I try veneer. It works the same way—it has the light color, and it’s super thin, but it maintains its shape a lot better. It’s a lot more consistent. With balsa, the grain will