In the time of high-voltage electricity and at least five different bulbs lighting up our rooms, the humble candle has been bumped down to a decorative station rather than a functional one. We seem to have forgotten the beauty of an evening spent in the glow of a flickering candle. Yet, there are some who continue to cherish the gentle luminescence of flame added to a wick. Candle art is considered a hobby by most but there are a few who add passion to their skills, giving mesmerizing results. Here are a few candle and soot artists who struck our fancy.
1. Gary Simmons’ Aromatic Affair
When the subject of candle design comes up, it seems that England-born Gary Simmons, now settled in Provence, France is considered one of the pioneers in the field. Crafted in the heart of the French perfume-making industry, his candles are known for their tantalizing scents such as lavender, citrus and coffee. They are sold in famous stores such as Harrods, used in glamorous weddings and ordered for gracing hotel rooms.
The scents and colours of his idyllic French surroundings are reflected in his designs. Apart from designing and making candles, Gary Simmons also teaches candle-making to school children, vacationers, aspiring entrepreneurs, etc. through The Candle Academy house in the French Riviera, offering online courses which can be taken from anywhere in the world or special seminars conducted on request.
Photo courtesy – My French Life, all images are copyright Gary Simmons
2. The Lovely Bones by Skeleton Candles
For fans of the macabre, Skeleton Candles’ range consists of the cutest bears and owls in candle form, oddly reminiscent of one’s childhood, but with a morbid twist. As the candles melt, they reveal an aluminium alloy skeleton which is in sharp contrast to the brightly-coloured wax exterior of the candle.
Based in Northern California, this start-up company describes its Angry Owl candles as the perfect gift for the young and the old alike since they go ‘from cute to evil in a 100 hours’. The Angry Owl series has added a certain element of immortality to its candles. Ordinary candles come to an end as the last of the wax burns off but the Angry Owl remains, looking at you with those hollow eyes. Watch out for these gummi bears… gone bad.
Photo Courtesy – Skeleton Candles
3. One for the palate by Stéphane Bureaux
Another wax-and-wick wonder comes to us from the land of wine, cheese and creativity —Parisian designer Stéphane Bureaux’s Fujisan candles are not only beautiful but they are delicious as well. A play on the two essential elements of birthdays—the cake and the candle, he revisits the ‘fudge’ part of the cake by placing a candle made out of chocolate in the centre of a pie. When lit, the candle melts and flows downwards, thereby filling the crater in the pie just as the birthday song finishes. Now that’s one candle we’d all love to try.
Photo Courtesy – Laughing Squid
4. Jim Dingilian offers Memories in Smoke
Like Stéphane Bureaux applies the concept of a melting candle to food, artist Jim Dingilian employs another part of the humble candle to create art. He uses candle smoke to paint landscapes on the inside of empty glass bottles. His choice of glass bottles as a base adds an interesting dimension to his art. Normally considered wasteful, these bottles turn into hauntingly beautiful hourglasses of sorts when they are adorned with smoky landscapes. The mysterious vibe of the landscapes is as menacing as it is intriguing.
Photo Courtesy: Junk Culture
5. When Steven Spazuk’s flame meets paper
Continuing on the candle soot theme, fumage artist Steven Spazuk’s work caught our eye. One of his series, titled Ornithocide, comprises of melancholic illustrations of birds, created by using a candle to mark paper in trails of soot. The birds are portrayed with hazardous insect-killing apparatuses such as pesticide sprays and grenades which are the artist’s way of symbolising the malpractice of murdering insects and birds to clean our homes and protect our crops. Imagined as a symbol of hope, the birds in his images are an inspiration for change.
Photo Courtesy: Steven Spazuk
Reminiscent of simpler times, candles are becoming a medium of art, it seems. The modern world may have moved on to other sources of light but these sculptures of wax continue to ignite passion in artists and creators all over the globe. It doesn’t matter if a person makes candles, eats them (looking at you, choco-lava cake candle) or uses them as a tool to paint with, candles add a spark to any work of art.
