Light My Fire: Lamp Designs by John Martin and Cedar Creek Artisans February 23rd - March 24th, 2002

egun years ago by owner and potter Sid Oakley, lampmaking at Cedar Creek Gallery has provided artisans with another creative outlet for marketing their craft, one in which it is displayed to its best potential through the addition of light. While any vase can be fashioned into a lamp, the sensitive fusion of the crafts of pottery, glass and lighting can result in a strong, cohesive design which stands as a unified whole.

hile some lamps are crafted at Cedar Creek from finished vases obtained from other craftspeople, most are produced entirely on-site. Resident artisan John Martin serves as chief lampmaker, providing a design perspective which seeks to combine the contemporary with the traditional. Using wheel-thrown forms by resident and local potters Blaine Avery and Geoff Lloyd, John employs his glazing and firing skills developed from a strong technical background and many years of working with Sid.

ndeed, some of the most spectacular results are obtained using Sid's signature glazes, refined and broadened through the years by John. Resident glassblower Lisa Oakley contributes design elements as well, adding yet another dimension to this ever-broadening craft. The result is a collaborative effort which reflects the combined creativity of the Cedar Creek Artisans.