Paxson Fay

CASTING LIGHT

Driven by passion and precision, Ted Bradley transforms raw porcelain into luminous works of lighting art, merging precise engineering with sculptural elegance.

Hidden behind an unassuming facade in the heart of downtown Boulder, the Ted Bradley Studio hums with creative energy.

The studio—which specializes in ultra high-end handmade porcelain light sculptures—is coated in a fine layer of ceramic dust, with every surface devoted to the intricate process of the craft. Work tables are strewn with sculpting tools, and artisans are quietly sanding and shaping. Driving it all is Ted Bradley, the studio’s dynamic 30-something founder. Six years ago Bradley, the Wisconsin-born engineer by trade, quit his lucrative tech job at Google to launch his ambitious lighting studio.Bradley says his passion for ceramics began when he took it as an elective in high school. Ironically, his first ceramics project was a lantern with a candle. “That was the first thing I ever made artistically with my hands, and I totally fell head over heels in love with it,” he says. He continued to hone his craft through college, studying sculptural ceramics as well as engineering, but it took a backseat to his engineering career after graduation.

While at Google, Bradley says he had a very vivid and recurring dream of creating a specific ceramic sculpture. The sculpture was fashioned from a series of rings that hung in a row with light emanating from them. He could not shake the vision. “As the years went by, I woke up in my early 30s and thought, what am I doing here, how did I get here? I had a great career, but it wasn’t what I was most passionate about or what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.” Initially, Bradley attempted to juggle his tech career and studio ambitions, but there wasn’t time for both. In 2019, he made the leap and quit his Google job, working full time on the sculpture. “I thought it would take two to three months to get up and going,” he laughs.

Before starting the sculpture, he consulted a clay chemist and master mold makers who all warned him that his ceramic vision would be nearly impossible to create, but he wasn’t deterred. Nine months and 1,400 pounds of clay later, he arrived at a method he believed would work, but quickly discovered the complex process was not replicable. He resisted the temptation to outsource the design overseas for a quick, two-month turnaround on a finished prototype. “For me it wasn’t about just creating another plastic or metal thing in the world that looks nice but gets thrown in the trash a couple of years later,” he says. “It’s about creating sculpture and art. That’s the journey I was on and I wasn’t looking to take a shortcut.” Bradley spent another nine months developing seven different extrusions before perfecting one that produces a ribbon of clay that naturally curves and doesn’t crack.

“FOR ME IT WASN’T ABOUT JUST CREATING ANOTHER PLASTIC OR METAL THING IN THE WORLD THAT LOOKS NICE BUT GETS THROWN IN THE TRASH A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER. IT’S ABOUT CREATING SCULPTURE AND ART. THAT’S THE JOURNEY I WAS ON AND I WASN’T LOOKING TO TAKE A SHORTCUT.” –Ted Bradley

Ted Bradley’s Rhythm Series from his new Dome Collection features a distinctive arrangement inspired by musical notes on a staff. Fully customizable in both dome size and number, the sculpture adapts effortlessly to a range of spatial settings.

The key material in the sculptures is an ultra-bright white clay mineral called kaolinite, sourced exclusively from New Zealand. The clay is mixed to a Play-Doh-like consistency and extruded using Bradley’s custom-designed equipment. It dries for 10 days in a closed humidifier chamber, followed by an additional five days in open air. Artisans use razor blades and industrial abrasive pads to smooth out the rough joint and edges. “This is why we don’t hire factory workers,” explains Bradley. “We are not a factory. We are all artists. Most folks here have five to nine years of ceramics experience. This work requires a sculptor’s eye and hand.” The sculptures are kiln fired to more than 2000 degrees to create a sheer layer of glass over the bright white porcelain. A selection of 26 different glaze and metal finishes allow for personal customization. Glazes are tinted with colorants to achieve the desired shade, versus paint, enamel, or dye, which can fade over time. More than 1,000 dimmable LED lights are inlaid in each ring to add a contemporary warm glow. The result of the complex process is an exquisitely crafted bespoke lighting collection that’s increasingly sought after. On average, the studio produces just one ring lighting sculpture a week, catering to a very niche market at a premium price.

Two years ago, Bradley set out to develop another collection that would have wider design appeal and a more approachable price point, without compromising on quality and craft. That culminated in the new Dome Collection, a series of handmade porcelain pieces featuring Alexander Calder-inspired mobiles, nature-inspired pendants, chandeliers, and wall sculptures. The domes are a fresh take on a classic shape and best suited for what Bradley calls transitional styling, a cross between contemporary and traditional.

“I didn’t want to crank a lever and have these sculptures pop out. I wanted them to still be made by hand, with original artisan design work and quality materials, but at an approachable price,” he says. With his new processes, the lead time has now dropped from 24 weeks to between 10 and 12.

Bradley’s designs are currently available in 10 major metropolitan markets, with plans to expand locally before looking beyond. He is hiring additional artisans and salespeople to meet the growing demand. When asked about his next steps, he has a steady flow of ideas to tap into. “I have about 25 collections sketched,” he says. “It’s not a matter of needing more designs, it’s a matter of needing more time and pace to get them out into the world.”

The Ring Collection is Bradley’s original fabrication, and represents a feat of engineering and design. It takes more than 200 steps and three weeks to handcraft a single porcelain ring. The best-selling swag pendants are individually handcrafted, customizable, and suspended from elegant braided metal cords.

WORDS: Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

IMAGES: Daniel Jenkins