Renegade Lamps
Denver, Colorado
Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do:
Dan: Renegade Lamps
I have been fascinated by light for as long as I can remember - from the physics of light and particle-wave duality to the way lighting can change the entire feel of a room or evoke a mood. When I as in 5th grade, I actually ran the light board for our school play and I think it's fair to blame that for what is now a lifelong obsession. For years after college, I was also a lighting designer for theatre, which is where I picked up all of the electrical knowledge as well as some influential aspects of design.
I didn't start making lamps until many years later. My wife and I were both teachers and I couldn't afford the really cool lamps and fixtures that I would see. So I started making a few custom pieces for our house and just really fell in love with the entire process - finding cool looking old salvage pieces or forgotten items from the last century and finding ways to convert them into unique, well-designed functional art pieces. And I try to keep them very affordable, remembering how I felt as a teacher when I would see great lamps and could never get them.
I spend a lot of time scouring estate and garage sales as well as local ads to try and find pieces that I just think are interesting looking, have a cool history, or are covered in wonderful rust and patinas. And I love finding antique lamp parts, particularly the amazing glass shades from the early and mid-twentieth century. Whenever I am working with antiques, I do my best to not damage or hurt the original piece as I convert it into a lamp. I don't weld, nothing against welding the pieces but I find the challenge of figuring out how to build and wire the lamp mechanically an interesting and challenging part of the work.
Let us know more about your business name - how did you come up with it?
If you ask any member of my family which of our pets was their favorite, every one of us would give the same answer: Renegade, a rescued Saluki that we got as an adult and only had for three or four years. And I also liked the additional connotation since my lamps don't tend to conform to any particular style; I like to use pieces in surprising ways and even the lamp parts I find I will often use differently than their original purpose. So the name has both relevance to my approach and some personal nostalgia for me.
What is your signature style / item? How did it become so?
This is hard for me to pin down since I don't repeat designs and my work changes so often. It is probably safest to say that my signature style is rustic-industrial although I think rustic-vintage would be a close second. I have always found myself drawn to early and mid-twentieth century designs and so I ended up gathering lots of old antiques and rusted out parts. I particularly enjoy when the hard look of rusted parts combine with beautiful detailed antique glass shades to form something that looks both classical and industrial, sturdy and delicate. And there is often a hint of whimsy in my pieces - whether that is just using old toys, adding a sense of humor to a piece, or even creating some that are intentionally creepy looking.
What makes your business unique to the industry?
I have definitely found many, many lamp-makers of all types and from around the world as I have been doing it and it is a wonderful and supportive group. Some of them are better artists than me, some of them are better at marketing, and many of them probably make more money. But I think there are a few things that I do that make mine unique even amongst handmade lamps.
The biggest at the get-go is that this is purely a labor of love. I love keeping old parts out of landfills and restoring them to a piece that is both functional and interesting visually. Since I am not doing this to make my living, each piece gets the individual design and attention I think it deserves.
Because of that, I don't repeat designs. I may have motifs that recur in my work, but the challenge of never repeating designs means my work is always evolving and I am always trying and figuring out new things.
And that also keeps me from specializing - I will work with any parts that I can find and afford. I may use a lot of mid-century electronics but I use just as many pieces of rusty iron or farm salvage. Car parts, Tonka toys, vintage and antique gas masks, and surveying equipment are all things I have gathered and ended up becoming a phase in my work.
What's been your biggest roadblock when it comes to business and how have you been able to overcome?
The hardest part for me was finding the right venue. When I first started selling, they were consignment sales through antique or vintage shops. But that ended up meaning that the prices had to go so high as to be against my original intention of making one-of-a-kind lamps that anyone could afford.
It wasn't until a friend suggested trying markets that I looked into that and it turned out to be the perfect forum. At a market, I also get to talk to people and share the stories behind each piece. Or I can talk to people that want something custom from something they already have or to fit a certain part of their house. And it has also solved a second issue - finding parts. Many times at markets, people will take my number because they have a shed or a barn full of stuff and will invite me to go over and look through and make offers on their parts. That has been incredibly fun.
How has your business had to adapt amidst the Covid- 19 Pandemic? What are you doing to navigate the situation?
Most of our business has always been through the markets, so Covid-19 has meant much less sales this spring. I have still had custom work and sales by email but mostly this has been a time for building up inventory. I am definitely hoping to do markets at the end of summer and fall that will hopefully help make up for so few sales this spring. But, all in all, I am on the more fortunate side to be able to not need sales. I am more worried about other makers that don't have that same luxury.
What is your favorite part of what you do?
This is another tough one because I love so much of the process. But I would have to say all the relationship building that comes along with the work. Both from the markets and from going parts hunting, I have met so many wonderful people. I have met pickers that will actually send me photos from farms in Kansas while they are picking to see what I might be able to use. I met an older gentleman at my last show and then spent a couple hours going around his property in Boulder looking at all sorts of cool stuff he'd gathered over the years and left with a carful of stuff and a head full of stories. And then I've also met people and families that end up getting custom jobs or coming by my garage to look at all my lamps. It's so great to not just share my work but also get to know people and hear their own stories and passions.
What is your *must do* local activity?
We love hunting out independent businesses, especially bookstores, small shops, and local restaurants. Our Friday night go to is to go to Olde Town Arvada and get amazing food and cocktails from the Arvada Tavern and then swing by to see Casey and Emilye at Spirits Wine Provisions. Both places are about so much more than making a buck; they are passionate about what they do.
Where to find Renegade Lamps:
Online: renegadelamps.weebly.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renegadelamps/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Renegade-Lamps