What People Make in Our Lamp Making Workshop
Here's the part I never get tired of: everyone in our lamp making workshop starts with the exact same blank lamp, and somehow no two ever come out alike. I've watched it happen dozens of times in our Williamsburg space, and the moment the room starts holding their finished lamps up to the light to compare is still my favorite.
Everyone starts the same — and ends somewhere different
When a group sits down, the table looks identical all the way down: the same plain lamp base, the same paints, the same brushes. An hour or two later, it's a completely different story. Someone has covered theirs in loose, hand-drawn flowers. Someone else has inked a tiny city skyline of little houses and buildings around the base. There are bold geometric shapes, neat mosaic tilework, playful stripes with tropical leaves tucked between them. I never give people a template, because the fun is watching where their instincts take them.
What surprises most first-timers is who ends up most absorbed. The quiet ones at the start are usually the people leaning over their lamp, completely focused, by the end. There's something about painting that lets people drop their shoulders and stop performing.
Who comes to a lamp making workshop
I host these for all kinds of groups. Corporate teams come in for an offsite and arrive a little reserved — the way people sometimes do when an "activity" is on the agenda — and leave genuinely proud of the thing they made with their own hands. I've had teams from visiting companies use it as a screen-free reset, and you can feel the room loosen up within the first twenty minutes.
I also host lamp making for birthdays, bridal groups, and friends who'd simply rather make something together than sit through another dinner. Because our space holds up to 50 guests and includes the tables, lighting, and setup, we can shape the workshop around whatever your group needs. Bring your own food and drinks — we're a bring-your-own space, with caterers right nearby on Grand Street — and it becomes an afternoon, not just a class.
You take home something that actually lasts
This is the part I always point out. So many workshop activities hand you something that ends up in a drawer. A lamp doesn't. It goes home with you, gets plugged in on a nightstand or a desk, and lights up every single day. Months later, people still message me photos of their lamp glowing in their apartment. That little object keeps doing its job long after the afternoon in Brooklyn is over.
[Your turn: add a short real story — a specific lamp design you loved, or a guest who sent you a photo of theirs lit up at home.]
An easy place for a group to land
We're steps from the L train in Williamsburg, in a light-filled space that already feels like a gathering before anyone picks up a brush. Some groups even pair their workshop with a sound bath afterward to wind down. Whether it's eight people or a full team, it's an easy, memorable way to spend a couple of hours together.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the lamp making workshop?
Plan for about [Your turn: add length, e.g. two hours]. You'll leave the same day with a finished, working lamp.
Do I need any art experience?
None at all. Everyone starts with the same blank lamp, and I guide each step — the magic is in how differently they all turn out.
How many people can join?
Our Williamsburg space comfortably holds up to 50 guests, so it works for small friend groups and full corporate teams alike.
Ready to make one?
If you'd like to host a lamp making workshop for your team, birthday, or group, send me your date and headcount and I'll help you plan it. I'd love to see what your group dreams up.
