Shoji lamps

Playing in a soft glow of light.

Shoji lamps are a wonderful medium for me to play with as they combine several of my favorite elements: light, wood, paper, and design.

The paper used in a shoji lamp, or washi, is woven magic. It takes some of the light passing through for itself, yet the light is richer for it—softer, warmer, more inviting.
 

The lamps

Shoji lamps – This series represents a journey through time, beginning with some of my earlier lamps and ending with the most recent.

Side journeys

Many of the lamp pictures are accompanied by a side journey you can take through a page or several pages related to notes about the lamp and its shape.

A journey of illumination

Creating shoji lamps is my personal exploration of design, materials, and technique. I enjoy a tremendous satisfaction as these designs reveal themselves to me, I love the light a shoji lamp casts more than any other, and I simply have a wonderful time playing in their soft glow.

Crafting these lamps and enjoying the wonder and laughter they provoke in me is one of the greatest gifts I give myself, helping to offset the insanity of this crazy world we live in.

Reviews – On this page, you can find a brief discussion of my favorite shoji-related books, woodworking tools, and tool sources.

I also make reference to particularly helpful or interesting books on some of the side journeys.