A ceramicist in St. Louis shares his creative journey
Daniel Shapiro’s display at this year’s ICFF was eye catching. His pieces of coiled lighting and furniture seemed almost alive. LED
And that’s the reaction he wants. “I want them to feel alive,” and he’s heard them described as “Medusa” and “alien like” as well.
While he has been creating his work for over two years now, the ICFF booth was his first official launch in person. And it paid off, as he received an ICFF Editors Award in the lighting category.
A former graphic designer, Shapiro took a pottery class in 2017 and was immediately hooked. And while he started off creating the usual dishes and mugs, he eventually had the desire to make bigger pieces that he’d want in his own home, he said.
Based in Los Angeles at that time, he was surrounded by fellow ceramicists – “I could see four ceramicists’ studios from my backyard” – and while he appreciated the camaraderie, he was concerned that that going to the same gallery openings and having the same influences “shape your voice in an unintentional way.”
So, during the pandemic, he and his family moved to St. Louis, where he’s originally from, so that they would be closer to family. At his new home, he renovated a separate carriage house into a studio space. “My life and work are very intertwined,” he said. “I love the lifestyle.”
Developing his vision required trial and error. Earlier versions of his lighting designs had integrated bulbs, and you had to disassemble the entire fixture to change them. And his creations used to be as fragile as they looked. Now the ceramic coils for the Squiggle side table are hollow and filled with resin for strength, for example.
Early on, he almost gave up after seeing so many of his designs destroyed in the firing process, but his wife told him, “’Give it six more months,’” and he continued his pursuit. “I knew there was something there.”
Today, Shapiro works mostly with interior designers, and he appreciates the collaborative process. He recently got his largest project to date: a commercial project in Atlantic City, which calls for 75 of his pieces, including a chandelier, sconces and flush mounts, a project he calls “a dream.”
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The award will be bestowed in Dallas in January.
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