Designer Richard Clarkson Has His Head in the Clouds

For people living in the forest of skyscrapers like Manhattan, seeing the open sky is often not always part of their everyday scenery, according to Epoch Times correspondent Robert Jay Watson. With his ‘Cloud’ lampshades, Brooklyn-based New Zealand-born artist and designer Richard Clarkson brings a piece of that celestial glory indoors for anyone to enjoy.

Describing himself as an artist “whose pieces are inspired by the celestial”, Clarkson’s designs, ranging from furniture to lighting, are full of references to the skies and space with names such as ‘Constellation’, ‘Rain’, and ‘Globe’.

Not content with simply using the shape or form of a cloud, Clarkson creatively uses technology to give people the whole gamut of clouds and weather, short of actually sprinkling water inside.

The basic model of his ‘Cloud Shade’ is a polyester fabric shell covered in acrylic wrapped around a light fixture. With intricate folds of white, the lamp mirrors the puffy cumulus clouds you might see looking out the window of a New York apartment building.

As Clarkson’s website explains, “This is a kind of magic, not based on illusions and trickery, but on sensors and code.” His ‘Smart Cloud’ version can also double as a sound system. It isn’t limited to thunderstorm effects, either. “Featuring a powerful speaker system, The Cloud allows its beholder to stream music via any Bluetooth compatible device and can adapt to any desired lighting and colour.”

Original article by Robert Jay Watson, The Epoch Times, November 14, 2019.