Porcelain & Light Study
-Ongoing Material Exploration
-Project Focus-
This ongoing project explores the use of hand-thrown translucent porcelain as a light-diffusing material for small-scale luminaries and pendant lighting. The study investigates how variations in material thickness, surface texture, and form affect light distribution, perceived warmth, and visual comfort. In this way, the work continues an exploration of wabi-sabi principles, where the hand-thrown process results in subtle irregularities and surface variations, making each shade inherently unique. Particular attention is given to achieving an even, glare-controlled glow while allowing these non-repeating textures to remain legible and expressive when illuminated.
-Progress-
Current iterations involve a series of hand-thrown porcelain prototypes integrated with internal LED sources and assembled as functional pendants. These studies focus on evaluating real-world performance through physical testing, including handling, scale, and assembly considerations, while documenting how subtle variations introduced through the hand-making process affect consistency across multiple pieces.
Hardwood
Translucent Porcelain
-Materials-
Material selection is driven by an interest in material honesty and aging over time. Wood, porcelain, and brass are used in their natural states, allowing grain, surface finish, and patina to develop through use. The translucent porcelain presents two conditions—its textured surface when unlit and a warm, diffuse glow when illuminated—where light reveals the material’s character rather than obscuring it.
Brass
-Ongoing development & Direction-
The hand-thrown process and surface texturing inherent to this work result in subtle variations that make each porcelain shade unique. These qualities resist standardization and large-scale production, positioning the work within a context that values craft, material character, and intentional variation over uniformity.
The project continues to evolve through ongoing refinement of socket integration and mounting details, along with further testing of light source selection, dimming behavior, and internal light placement. Future iterations will focus on improving performance consistency while preserving the material and visual qualities that define the work.
