Hand-Carved Ceramic Lamps & Lighting
I create handmade stoneware lamps and incense burners designed to cast a soft, tranquil glow. Each piece is hand-built or carved, bringing a bit of nature’s warmth into your home.
Watch the transformation of this hand-built lampshade. The textured surface, combined with a beautiful blue dripping glaze, creates a piece that looks like a river flowing over rocks.
These are my moon pendant lamps. The textured surface and random piercings are designed to look like the craters of the moon, casting a beautiful, gentle light.
Part two of the frog incense holder series. This video shows the glazing process and the final piece, with the frog meditating on a leaf as the incense smoke curls around it.
I love carving tea light holders. The process of piercing the clay is so meditative, and the way the candlelight flickers through the holes is magical.
A collection of my carved lanterns, ready for the kiln. I used different patterns for each one, from dragonflies to flowers.
This lampshade took two days to create. It was hand-built using the coiling method and then carved with a texture that will catch the light beautifully.
Part two of making the geometric lamp. This video shows the glazing process and the final piece after being fired in the kiln.
About this collection
Every lamp here is high-fired stoneware, meaning it’s not just a delicate decorative piece; it’s designed to be durable and heat-safe. Whether you are choosing a pierced lantern for your bedside or a hanging pendant for the living room, the clay body is vitrified at 1220°C, ensuring it lasts as long as the atmosphere it creates.
Crafting the Light
I love playing with the contrast between raw, earthy clay and the light that spills through it. Most of my lighting pieces, from the moon-textured pendant lamps to the intricate dragonfly lanterns, start as slabs or coils. I use a manual carving technique—or piercing—to create patterns that breathe life into a room, ensuring the shadow patterns are as beautiful as the ceramic form itself.
Why Stoneware?
You might worry about ceramic lighting being too fragile, but I work exclusively with stoneware. I double-fire every piece at 1220°C, which vitrifies the clay. This makes your lamp chip-resistant and sturdy, ready to be a permanent part of your home’s aesthetic. They aren't just for show; they are built for daily use, whether as a permanent wall installation or a tabletop tea light holder.
Customization & Care
Whether you want a pendant lamp for a cozy corner or a small incense burner to set a mood, I can adjust the glaze to match your home’s color palette. Since everything is handmade in my Uttarahalli studio, no two pieces are identical—each hole, carving, and brushstroke is unique. If you're looking for a specific size for a corner or a particular motif, let me know. I usually need a few weeks to ensure the piece is dried, fired, and finished properly.
Ihalo Studio
I turn lumps of earth into pieces that hold light and peace. My studio in Uttarahalli is where I experiment with carving and glazing, often inspired by the textures I find right outside my window.
Looking for something else?
Explore other functional and decorative pottery collections from my studio.
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