Meet the Makers - Hennessy Lampworks

Hennessy Lampworks is a husband and wife team based in San Francisco, California. After many years of creating fine art, Chris wanted to sculpt furnishings that invite the sense of touch. Our lamps fuse the aesthetic with the essential. 

We are craft-oriented. Chris cuts, shapes, finishes and assembles the lamps one at a time in our specialized workshop by the sea. All cuts and contours are guided by hand and achieved without the use of CNC milling, laser-cutting, or any other automated processes associated with mass-production. Chris’ stylistic influence as a lamp maker is rooted in some of the more streamlined examples of art deco furnishings and architecture, along with an occasional suggestion of Bauhaus and a consistent appreciation for smooth mid-century lines. Chris’ primary inspirations to sculpt originate in the myriad organic and anthropogenic objects of our natural world, and he interprets those forms to bring light to functional living spaces. 

We believe in responsible and high-quality products. Our lamps are made primarily of timber, mostly domestic hardwoods such as red alder, hard maple or eastern black walnut. We use high quality fittings and UL approved electrical components. We use natural fibers, often organic or vintage, for our fabric shades. All of the dye is made with plants, most often harvested by hand in San Francisco.

A third generation artist, Chris has been drawn to creative endeavors since childhood. After years of drawing and painting as a hobbyist, Chris earned a BFA in illustration from California College of the Arts in 2012. In his final year of school, Chris took a chance on a whim and produced his first sculptural works of wood. From his initial foray into the medium, Chris has produced a range of work including masks, sculptural boxes, mobiles, and outdoor furniture.

Danielle is passionate about building and nourishing community. She earned a masters in community development and enjoyed over a decade in the food space working on: nutrition security for a non-profit, recipe development for a meal kit company, and the implementation of a sustainable restaurant program in San Francisco. Now she is happy to bring her creative energy to Hennessy Lampworks. 

Danielle’s love of cooking and kitchen experimentation lead her to natural dyeing. Starting with onion skins and avocado pits, she was amazed by the rich colors she could extract from plant matter, even compost! Building upon knowledge gained from working with avocado and onion dyes, she expanded to: ice plant, dune tansy, eucalyptus, violets, and more. She enjoys experimenting with modifiers, like citric acid and iron, to shift colors and create patterns. After dyeing the textile, Danielle constructs fabric shades to complement Chris’ wooden bodies. It is a fun and fulfilling process as a couple (and business partners) to create these lamps together. 

Unless otherwise noted, all of the photos on this site were taken by the amazing Lauren Hanussak.