Bookmarks: Illuminate – Contemporary Craft Lighting

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cover of Hannah Nunn's Illuminate: Contemporary Craft Lighting book beside one of her Allium paper cut lamps

Today’s Bookmarks review, of Illuminate – Contemporary Craft Lighting, is the debut publication by someone we’ve blogged about in the past.

dandelion lamp handmade by Hannah Nunn

The book’s author, Hannah Nunn, is a designer/maker – specialising in beautiful & delicate paper-cut lamps.

cylindrical, handmade paper cut lamp by Hannah Nunn

She also owns and runs Radiance – a lighting & craft boutique – in Hebden Bridge where she’s based. All in all, a very busy lady!

glass feather chandelier

Illuminate’s chapters are broken down via materials – paper, glass, ceramics, wood etc…

large, rectangular ceiling light with multi-coloured glass drops in the shapes of leaves

…with sections within those chapters given over to individual designer/makers – a summary of their background & practice accompanied by lush photographs of their creations.

handmade floor lamps and floor-standing wooden cube lamps by Jane Blease

Creations that are fun, colourful, wacky, delicate, whimsical and works of art – you’ll never make do with a bare bulb ever again!

sewing paper hanging wall lightshade above a vintage wooden chair

It’s lovely to see makers we know personally and admire including people like Manchester-based Jane Blease.

drum lampshades handmade by Helen Rawlinson from her silk-screened designs

And others who we’ve not had the pleasure of meeting in person, but with whose work we’re already familiar, such as Helen Rawlinson and Greypants.

trio of cardboard ceiling lampshades by Greypants

Equally, it’s great to be introduced by this book to talents such as Scabetti, Penelope Batley and Aline Johnson.

long pendant ceiling light with four different coloured glass shades

The lighting showcased represents an international pool of artistry. As well as the UK, makers hail from as far afield as Japan, the USA, New Zealand, Serbia and The Netherlands.

the beginning of the Paper chapter showing organic pottery vases with poppy heads inside next to a paper cut lamp by Hannah Nunn

In all, there are 43 individual lighting designers featured in the book – but owing to space restrictions Hannah has included an additional image gallery of work by other makers that she recommends you seek out.

selection of drum lampshades by House of Chintz on an antique Windsor chair

Perhaps this is a sign that there’s a demand for Illuminate II!

selection of lights

Illuminate is available from Bloomsbury the publishers, Amazon and Hive.

long neck light resembling a huge string of silver beads on a necklace hung over the back of a white chair

[Many thanks to Bloomsbury for the review copy]

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