Latest Work
This one, while small, was hands down one of the most challenging pieces in the batch. The open knot was too striking to pass up, my wife and daughter wouldn't let me ignore it.
Getting the light and switch into such a small form while minimizing their visual footprint was difficult. When I finished, the piece wouldn't stand upright on its own. I ended up fabricating small brass support legs for the back, positioning the switch between them to keep everything clean and stable.
This was a real test of making adjustments without accidentally destroying the form. But it gave me a vision of what's possible. I'll definitely be looking for larger pieces that allow for this kind of integrated lighting in the future.
Specs:
Location Found: 47°N 122°W
Species: Madrone
Sanded: 240 grit
Finish: Natural Bees Wax
Additional materials: 5/16th” Brass legs
Bulb: 12V E10 LED (replaceable)
Switch: Maritime-rated water-resistant boat switch, recessed into wood
Cord: Braided
Five of ten.
This one is my favorite from the batch. It started as a scrap, a large break in the structure nearly made me toss it. But once I began cleaning it up, the wood revealed itself.
One side shows modest, uniform grain. The other is stunning: dark swirls and rich, mixed colors that only emerged after finishing. The piece also has a natural simplicity to it. The wood's shape creates a built-in hood that feels intentional, like it was always meant to be a desk lamp rather than something I forced into being.
Specs:
Location Found: 47°N 122°W
Sanded: 240 grit
Finish: Natural Bees Wax
Bulb: 12V E10 LED (replaceable)
Switch: Maritime-rated water-resistant boat switch, recessed into wood
Cord: Braided
Ten of ten.
This is one of my favorites. I wasn't sure if I could run the wiring through without breaking the surface of the main shaft, but everything came together perfectly.
Once the wiring holes were drilled and the piece was ready for waxing, I had to stop and just look at it. The colors that emerged were far better than I'd imagined. And the natural open knot in the base became the perfect spot to integrate the switch, minimal footprint, maximum function.
This was one of those pieces where everything just worked.
Specs:
Location Found: 47°N 122°W
Species: Madrone
Sanded: 240 grit
Finish: Natural Bees Wax
Bulb: 12V E10 LED (replaceable)
Switch: Maritime-rated water-resistant boat switch, recessed into wood
Cord: Braided
Two of ten.
This piece is an exploration in integrated lighting. I wanted the lamp to glow from within, so I created segmented sections separated by 5/16" solid brass rods spaced roughly 10mm apart. Crumpled tracing paper inside acts as a diffuser, softening the light and creating an inner glow.
It was an ambitious build and taught me a lot about articulated construction. I'll be refining this approach in future pieces.
Specs:
Location Found: 47°N 122°W
Species: Madrone
Sanded: 240 grit
Finish: Natural Bees Wax
Structural material: Brass
Bulb: 12V E10 LED (replaceable)
Switch: Maritime-rated water-resistant boat switch, recessed into wood
Cord: Braided
Nine of ten.
About Lantern Beach
For years, I built things that disappeared. Facsimiles of pseudo art only viewed through a screen, never something one could touch. Work which served its purpose and was gone. I was always racing, never slowing down enough to care about what I made.
Then something shifted and I asked myself what I actually wanted. Not what society thought I should do, not what fad was next or piece of software I needed to learn, but what would give my life meaning. How could I use this compulsion for creation and provide practical value in the world? What could I make that would serve a purpose and be beautiful?
The answers brought me back to where I started: the forest.
I grew up in the woods. It's where I felt most at home. Making these projects is my way back to that, working with materials shaped by time, creating things meant to last, slowing down enough to care about the result.
Each piece of wood has already lived a full life before I find it. I seek to immortalize the form I see beneath the wear and abuse life has bestowed upon it. To join a piece of the world with myself which would otherwise end in decay and silence.
These projects are made to be kept, maybe even passed down. For me, they're funding a simple dream: an isolated cabin on a few acres, quietly crafting, my only real connection to the world being what I create. A small contribution of calmness which our world so desperately needs.
If you're looking for something made with care, something which carries weight and meaning. This is what Lantern Beach is to me and I hope to you as well.
— Sean