Mary Ginn | Firefly Design
Sculptural Lighting
 
"I really enjoy switching on a finished lamp for the first time, because at that moment, it takes on a life of its' own, apart from any plans I may have had for it.  Fresh sheets of handmade washi, traditional Japanese paper, applied to sculpted galvanized wire frames while wet, give a sense of grace and motion and light brings them to life.
 
Washi, a paper made from either the inner bark of the kozo tree (paper mulberry), gampi or mitsumata plants, is processed by hand and is admired for it's strength, longevity and the beautiful pattern the fibers create. Because it is not processed with the harsh chemicals used in western paper-making, it will not degrade the way western paper can. Museums use washi for restoration of precious artworks, books, and manuscripts because of its' archival quality.
 
I was introduced to traditional Japanese papermaking while attending a workshop on the Japanese Island of Shikoku.  Knowing I wanted to combine washi and light came from my experiences after a subsequent four year stay in Japan, with my husband and children.  The simplicity, profound calm and functional beauty of traditional living spaces affected me the most while we were there. Light diffused through washi is calming to me and represents that functional beauty that, in my mind, is the essence of the Japanese aesthetic."