Rootwad on Beach

Carrying Twisty Branches

The temperate rain forest of Southeast Alaska creates interesting wood which I hunt for along logging roads and beaches. At times, I find special pieces of wood in remote places, that must be carried long distances, and then transported by fishing boat or float plane. Once the wood is home, I debark and scrub it, and then dry it a year.

Each piece of wood becomes a custom lamp or home accessory. I deliberate about where to cut each piece to achieve the best stability and visual balance. The wood is scrubbed free of all bark and weathering and then sanded and buffed to highlight the grain and natural details.

I finish the wood with as many as five hand-rubbed coats of tung oil. Hand rubbing allows an even, rich, satin sheen without a shiny build up of the finish.

I draw lampshade patterns to complement the size and shape of each lamp base. My lampshades are made with carefully selected decorative papers that I back with styrene (lampshade backing). I usually add huckleberry twigs, ferns, or other foliage that I have collected pressed and dried, between the layers. The backed paper is cut, glued to the wires and then trimmed with bias fold fabric. Finished lampshades are treated to repel dust and moisture.

Gail Person
148 Beacon Hill Lane
Ketchikan, Alaska 99901
907- 225-2215 (Alaska Time)
gail@kpunet.net

Gathering wood for lamps

Workshop