steam bent rattan lamp by good lamp co - Brennen cunningham
 
 
1. How did you get started in creating your work?
I grew up around woodworking with my father owning a cabinet shop and building custom homes through my childhood. I always appreciated the craft and found myself working in a fabrication studio in Brooklyn as a young adult. I had a lot of talented mentors here and began experimenting with furniture pieces for myself after hours as we’d bounce around ideas. I became interested in steam bending wood and creating unique lighting as everything I saw on the market was so similar and sterile feeling. So I decided to attempt to make lamps that had life and a spark of joy in them. 

 
2. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Mostly from nature. I find so much joy in the subtle balance and gentle curves that can be found outdoors whether it be in the forest or mountains, or in the ocean. I strive for unique, organic forms. 
 
3. Where do you currently create your work?
I am currently the artist in residence at the Single Double studio space in ChinaTown. It has been such a fun place to build these lamps out of. It is essentially a retail space that they have activated as an art studio, so passers by can stop and watch through the large window at the working artist's process. It's a very inspiring space, there have been a lot of really talented local artists who have worked out of here and all have left a little something. It's a small space that's perfect for making lamps and smaller projects out of. I also have a small warehouse on Sand Island where I am able to do larger furniture pieces and sculptures.
It's been great to interact with the community and I will have the ChinaTown studio doors open each First Friday for anyone who wants to come by and talk story. 
 
4. Where do you see yourself as a designer/ maker in the future 3 years from now?
I hope to continue to explore lighting and furniture in different mediums as I continue to refine my craft. There are so many designs both in lighting and in furniture in my sketchbook that I'd like to bring to life. I'm hoping to build and house a large collection of my work which can really embody the type of designs that identify my style. I'm beginning to play with incorporating kinetic aspects into my pieces and hope to incorporate more kinetic aspects into future pieces. 
 
5. Can you share a verbal interaction with someone that really enjoyed your design?
Thank you for your curiosity about these unorthodox pieces! not everyone likes them and I'm glad that we can enjoy them together. 

 
6. If you were a chair, what type of chair would you be? ( you may attach a photo or the title and designer of chair )
It would have to be Thomas Heatherwick's Magis Spun chair. It's fun, playful, unconventional and yet simple. It breaks the rules of the idea of a chair and can make anyone from a 3 year old to a 90 year old laugh and smile. That's hard to do with a chair.