The Porcelain Sconce began as a conversation between Matthew and I, who was crafting very thin translucent porcelain vases at the time. I saw one in a local shop that had a light above, glowing through the whole vessel. I arranged a meeting between the two of us to talk about the way light interacts with this porcelain and how we could develop a sconce together. Porcelain is a very temperamental material and only likes to be shaped and handled in specific ways. I showed Matthew the shape I wanted to make and the size—I wanted it to resemble an oyster and the light to shine not only through the sides but also through the front piece. Because the shape of the sconce was complex in curvature, Matthew developed a paper/porcelain material that strengthened it significantly. He was then able to use objects in his studio to manipulate the shape of the porcelain into the likes of an oyster. Once we found the shape we wanted, the porcelain mold was fired in the kiln and became the mold for all future sconces. The porcelain material is rolled to a precise 1/4” and delicately draped over the mold. It is then pressed firmly into the mold where it dried for several days before being removed. The same method is used for the front piece, and the two are joined with a small solid brass rod that is hammered on one end for a simple nail design.