jake oliveira turns the iconic image of a halo into a contemporary light fixture

it must have been divine inspiration that made jake oliveira create the ‘mother mary sconce’ for canadian furniture brand, powell & bonnell. well, not quite, but the designer was inspired by the iconic depiction of a halo found in romanesque art, which serves as the visual starting point for this wall-mounted light.

inspiration to initial render

images courtesy of jake oliveira

as well as the halo reference, the light is also designed around the idea of a mother’s protective, enveloping embrace of her child. jake oliveira interprets this imagery as a marriage between two pure and simple silhouettes that draw attention to the interplay of light and shadow.

front and side view of the mother mary sconce in sand-cast brass

the mother mary sconce is composed of a resin bulb set in a sand-cast metal shade. after hours of testing using 3D printed and polyurethane tools, the final design comprises an angled shade with an overhang that hides all the bulb fastenings from any vantage point. in this way, the bulb appears to float effortlessly within the shade.

sand-cast bronze

since the notion of contrast is an essential ingredient of the design, the combination of materials was selected very carefully. the shade is fabricated from porous sand-cast metal, specifically brass, bronze, or aluminum. dating back to 704 BC, sand-casting offers a random and natural finish that carries the story of the hands that made it. the metal is paired with a sleek resin bulb, which is poured via the modern technique of silicone slip-casting. a refined, polished lip on the edge of the shade helps to unite the rough, tactile metal with the smooth, sculptural bulb.

detail of the polished lip and sand-cast texture

the mother mary sconce can be cast in brass, bronze, and aluminum, with the option of oxidation. and as time goes on, the metal will get even better with age as natural patination occurs. the resin bulb can be cast in an array of different hues, allowing for a dynamic pop of color.

the angled shade and clever construction make the bulb look like it’s floating

the mother mary sconce with a group of other powell & bonnell designs

video courtesy of jake oliveira

CNC cutting the shade

resin bulb slip-cast pour

prototype and wiring

sand-casting the shade, repurposing the age old technique

the mother mary sconce is available in four sand-cast metal finishes

project info:

project name: mother mary sconce

design: jake oliveira for powell & bonnell

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom