Everyday Lighting II

Saydee Chandler is a multidisciplinary maker living and working in Toronto. She specialized in textile design and sculpture, obtaining her BDes from the Material Art & Design program at OCAD University. She also graduated from the Jewellery Arts program at George Brown College, where she studied goldsmithing. Her work has been featured in shows and exhibitions across Canada, the United States, Austria, France, Romania and China. Chandler was welcomed as an Artist-in-Residence Metal at Harbourfront Centre in 2021. 

“A light source exists to expose. It reveals flaws, irregularities and many other strange disturbances without hesitation. Cracks in structures are highlighted, seams are outlined and blemishes in once-seemingly smooth surfaces have no choice but to show themselves. This series of hollow objects and surfaces explore light’s uncanny ability to illuminate the truths and faults within the environment it’s in. Impartial to cleanliness and filth, light is a truth-teller: illuminating secrets, altering perceptions and creating its own version, or vision, of reality. This series explores newly developed techniques informed by traditional goldsmithing and metalwork and, as such, exists as an intersection of the aesthetics of adornment and industrial design.” – Saydee Chandler

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Steph Cloutier is a francophone multidisciplinary artist working in textiles, paper, video and installation. Her practice is driven by process, materiality and transformation. She explores themes of memory, reciprocity and repair by utilizing various textile techniques such as hand embroidery, paper cutting, natural dyes and papermaking to conceive her 2D and 3D artworks. Cloutier’s current body of work focuses on her fascination with urbanity, nature and our existence within those spaces. She received her BFA with Distinction in Sculpture and Installation from OCAD University and has been awarded residencies in Toronto, Canada and Naples, Italy. She was welcomed as an Artist-in-Residence in Textiles at Harbourfront Centre in 2023.

“Weathered and Worn is a handmade paper wall sconce inspired by Toronto’s most iconic buildings. The rib pattern mimics the concrete slabs on the exterior façade of midcentury modern buildings dotted across the city. Expanding and undulating like fabric, the paper sculpture is malleable like its concrete counterpart. Carefully layering wet paper pulp into a mould, then dried, the building of the lamp emphasizes time and process.” – Steph Cloutier

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Bram Locknick is an emerging artist and designer. From Windsor, Ontario he was inspired by the towering Detroit skyline from an early age. He pursues his curious instincts to learn about the world and develop ideas and concepts for translation into material. The technical and conceptual difficulties that glass presents as a medium appeal to his eagerness to be challenged and his desire for growth and knowledge. Locknick was welcomed as an Artist-in-Residence in Glass at Harbourfront Centre in 2023.

“In search of inspiration for his latest piece, Bram Locknick recollected the last time he felt a sense of wonder and the sublime. The city at night was where his memory led him. People’s relationship with the dark of night and the light we produce to illuminate our private and public spaces came to mind almost immediately. Each light seen in the city at night is a sign of life, of people with lives and dreams of their own, which light the spaces they are in. The City at Night Light ambient table lamp brings this sensation of wonder into the world through the transformative power of light, colour and glass. The lamp features interchangeable colored glass castings on single, 2×2 and 3×3 lighting mounts.”  

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Lauren Rice is a glass artist from Manitoba who is now based in the GTA. She studied at Sheridan College and received a Bachelor of Craft and Design with a specialty in glass. Rice creatively mixes mediums, incorporating materials like underglaze which is traditionally used in ceramics. This unique approach adds texture and dimension to her organic and whimsical glass sculptures, transporting viewers to a nostalgic place of childhood. Riceteaches art classes to children and draws inspiration from their sense of wonder.  Her work invites observers to rediscover the magic inherent in the natural world. Rice was welcomed as an Artist-in-Residence in Glass at Harbourfront Centre in 2023.

“This work draws inspiration from the enchanting phenomenon of foxfire, also known as fairy fire, the bioluminescence of certain fungi species. Infusing this magic into blown glass mushrooms, I draw playful imagery with ceramic underglaze pencils to craft a village of fairy houses. Foxfire invites the viewer to step into a world of make-believe, echoing the charm of fairies and toadstools. With ethereal glow and intricate detail, these whimsical lights become a portal to a dreamscape, encouraging contemplation and connection with narratives that captivate our imagination.” – Lauren Rice

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Juliana Scherzer is a textile artist creating work with preserved fallen leaves. These leaves are cut, sewn and woven into modern, asymmetrical botanical quilts, connecting patterns of nature with patterns in craft and human biology, highlighting the symbiotic nature of all living things and humanity’s role in this symbiosis. After graduating from Sheridan College with a Bachelor of Craft and Design, Scherzer spent three years as an Artist-in-Residence at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design, where she continued to build her practice and branch out into production work. In 2021, she relocated to Toronto to join Harbourfront Centre’s Artist-in-Residence Program in Textiles.

“It Comes From Within considers the role electricity plays in being alive. The exterior is made from preserved fallen leaves that are stitched together by machine, and its imagery is drawn from the Sycamore tree’s particular bark patterns. The piece is invigorated with LED lights running through it. The light visualizes the life and energy found in all living things. Many patterns are found repeatedly throughout the physical formations of the natural world, such as the shapes of rivers, veins, roots and even winding footpaths. These patterns reveal the connections found across the earth’s formations and are remnants of the spread of various life forms. But what is the unifying feature of life itself? It is the electrical spark needed to create life, keep a heart beating and continue movement. Electricity is life, and by translating that through light, we see that in front of our eyes.” – Juliana Scherzer

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Olivia Mae Sinclair is a textile-book artist. Her intuitive and trauma-based practice is guided by sloppy craft and imperfection. She is addicted to infatuation and Redbull, a maker of books, love and other grotesque things. Sinclair has recently graduated from OCAD University’s Interdisciplinary Master’s in Art, Media and Design program. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Craft and Design at Sheridan College. Sinclair was welcomed as an Artist-in-Residence in Textiles at Harbourfront Centre in 2023.

“Typically, books made from fabric are intended for children and infants. My books, however, are made for lovers, survivors, artists, her, him, them and me. Through embroidered text, I convey the profound complexities of the human psyche, shedding light on the obscured facets of our emotional well-being. Light and shadow guide the narrative’s ebb and flow. They mirror the fluctuating states of mind, sometimes shrouding the text in darkness, at other times revealing it with the gentle touch of illumination. This dynamic interplay symbolizes the journey of those grappling with mental health challenges, oscillating between moments of clarity and obscurity. Through the artful fusion of light and shadow, I invite the audience to explore the labyrinth of mental health, stitching together a narrative that speaks to the heart, fostering dialogue and advocating for a more compassionate and informed world. ” – Olivia Mae Sinclair  

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Moraa Stump is a Canadian and Kenyan artist and maker. She spent her formative years growing up in Tanzania, Mozambique and Eswatini, which informed her interest in how physical spaces inform one’s sense of individual identity and belonging. Stump earned her BFA in Material Arts from OCAD University and has since presented solo installations and group exhibitions in Canada and the United States. She is featured in private collections in the United States, Canada and Ghana. In 2021, she was welcomed as an Artist-in-Residence in Textile at Harbourfront Centre.

“Physical spaces like the dinner table can inform one’s sense of identity and belonging. This lamp uses tarpaulin rice bags and is an homage to rice: the pantry-staple for familial, friendly or strange gatherings. The dinner table and consumption of rice dishes provide a neutral ground to build relationships and communities.” – Moraa Stump 

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Mohammad Tabesh (he/him) is a mixed-media artist residing and working in Toronto. His practice is focused on the human condition, the art of resistance, and art and social change. Through writing, printmaking, multimedia and sculpture, Tabesh strives to convey these stories in a profoundly human and universal language, avoiding the cliché of shock and horrors of violence on the one hand and the abstract notion of war far away on the other. His ceramic practice – including sculptural forms and sound installations – focuses on themes of body and censorship. Mohammad completed his BFA at OCAD University and is the 2020 recipient of OCAD University’s Sculpture and Installation medal. He was welcomed as an Artist-in-Residence in Ceramics at Harbourfront Centre in 2022. 

“Inspired by the captivating rock gardens of Jardin Botanique de Montréal, the Rock Garden Collection is a luminous fusion of art and design. Crafted by Tabesh, each piece is a tactile creation, meticulously carved to evoke a sensory experience through texture. Leveraging the inherent translucency of porcelain, these luminaires emit a warm, ambient glow, transforming any room into a space of tranquility. The elegance of simplicity is embraced through pristine white porcelain, while the glazed rim, adorned with a spectrum of colours, adds a touch of vibrant sophistication. Designed with environmental awareness, the LED technology keeps energy usage low, making this collection a sustainable touch that brightens and enriches the space.”

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Sydni Weatherson is a multidisciplinary artist currently working out of Harbourfront Centre as an Artist-in-Residence. She completed the Art Fundamentals course at Sheridan College before falling in love with the art of glassblowing. She graduated from the Bachelor of Crafts and Design program at Sheridan College in 2022. Her work as a glass artist has revolved around the themes of organic movement and open spaces, focusing on carefully selected colour palettes. Her current work captures the fluidity of the glass during the making process, exploring colour, texture and movement frozen in time through the excavation of layers. Weatherson was welcomed as an Artist-in-Residence in Glass at Harbourfront Centre in 2023.  

“Modelled after smooth undulating pāhoehoe lava, the Basaltic Flow Lamps are small, wall-mounted lava “toes” with glowing interiors. These blown glass pieces consist of layers of glass powders and an overlay of black, creating a dense exterior that conceals a bright red interior. They are sculpted to form slightly sloping, rippled surfaces indicative of viscous and slow-moving pāhoehoe lava flows, carving along the curves to expose the glowing red glass. The light gently pulsates as if slowly heating while the lava flows just under the surface of each lamp, reminiscent of the heating and cooling processes of glassblowing.” – Sydni Weatherson

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Clio Windust is a textile artist working primarily in printing and weaving. She received a Bachelor of Craft and Design from Sheridan College in 2022. Windust lives and works in Toronto, where she has been an Artist-in-Residence in Textile at Harbourfront Centre since 2022. 

“Clio Windust is interested in the role textiles have played in the development of modern technologies and media arts, both in the realm of computers (with the Jacquard loom as a proto-computer) and with the craft of fabric transparencies, a part of early media arts in the 18th and 19th centuries. Slideshow works with the idea of transparencies, scenes and images painted on fine fabrics and then lit up using natural or artificial light. This craft was a part of the same world as phantasmagorias, dioramas and magic lantern projections – all precursors to the advent of film. By exploring how textiles fit into this history, Windust hopes to create work that captures the same sense of animation and life created by illuminated images on a screen.”

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A deep respect for tactile experiences was instilled in Mel Wright at a young age, spending lots of time outdoors with her family. After working a desk job in her early twenties, she longed to reconnect with materials and objects and found the Craft & Design program at Sheridan College. She began designing and making furniture but quickly fell in love with the malleability of clay and put herself on a path that has led to a lifelong love with craft. Mel Wright lives in Toronto, Ontario and was welcomed as an Artist-in-Residence in Ceramics at Harbourfront Centre in 2023.  

“With this lighting collection, I place form, contrast and colour at the forefront. Each piece is inspired by our neighbouring planets and moon and the views we are lucky to witness from Earth. These fixtures reflect light onto the clay like the sunlight is reflected off the moon’s surface, illuminating Earth in darkness.” – Mel Wright 

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Born in Scotland, Charlotte Blake is a contemporary artist based in Toronto. After receiving her BFA from OCAD University, she worked for 20 years creating custom site-specific artwork and specialty finishes for interior designers. In 2015, Blake began working with fibres and focusing on a full-time independent art practice. Her work explores themes of memory and labour and often combines weaving and basketry materials and techniques. She exhibits her work regularly in Toronto and continues to work with designers and architects to create custom fibre art.

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Kate Tessier returns to Harbourfront Centre to curate the second edition of Everyday Lighting with eleven Artists-in-Residence in the Craft & Design Studio. Designing decorative and functional hardware for the retail and commercial markets and developing custom architectural lighting, her growing interest in locally produced industrial design inspired a new focus on collaborations through design exhibition curation. Her first exhibition, Manufacturers + Designers Connect, won Best Exhibition at DesignTO, then called Toronto Design Offsite Festival in 2013, followed by Primary and the first e Exhibition. Tessier looks forward to exploring these interests further. She became a Senior Designer-in-Residence at Harbourfront Centre in 2023. 

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“Kate Tessier is a designer passionate about lighting and enjoys collaborating with artists. She determines how lighting interacts when integrated with artists’ works, highlighting challenging complexities. Tessier makes thoughtfully constructed lighting to reflect and suit its intended environment, which is sometimes lacking in the real world. Lighting can be utilitarian, leaving much room for interpretation and creativity, expanding the idea of everyday lighting.   

Charlotte Blake is a contemporary (sometimes conceptual) artist currently focusing on fibre. In collaboration, Blake and Tessier are exploring themes of memory, time and labour through indirect illumination, reflection, shadow and glow.”