The components of all Upcycled Lamps are made from deconstructed discarded lighting fixtures. This includes the switches, sockets, nuts, pipes, harps, bulbs and wiring. Shades are also re-used. Many of these fixtures come from the Ithaca ReUse Center.
The objects are collected from yard sales, the dusty corners of antique shops, donations from friends and family, and wherever I trip across something interesting. This adds up to each Upcycled Lamp being unique and also — not perfect. There are signature flaws, scratches, stains and signs of wear. We hope you enjoy the fact that each piece of your lamp has a history!
The Origin Story of Upcycled Lamps
The idea for Upcycled Lamps began in Fall 2020 when I found one of my deceased father-in-law’s prosthetic legs in the family attic. When my mother-in-law said that she was going to throw it away, I said, “Let me see what I can do with it.”
It didn’t take long to envision a “leg lamp” like the one in the movie A Christmas Story, and so I began my experiment with lamp making. When it was completed, I gave it to my brother-in-law who was a bit puzzled by the whole thing (having never seen the movie), but his daughter quickly grabbed the lamp for her bedroom.
Although it was not my finest work, it lit a creative spark and I started to wonder what kind of lamp I could make next. Four years into this venture and over 500 lamps later, I have discovered that there is no shortage of objects and new ideas!
I am grateful to Tanner Harding who wrote the full story about Upcycled Lamps in the Ithaca Times in December 2021, prior to my first pop-up store, and helped to draw interest to my hobby.
About the Artist
Jon Jensen is the founder and artist of Upcycled Lamps. He started this endeavor in retirement after a forty-year career in the areas of environment, nonprofits and philanthropy. Most recently he held the position of Executive Director of the Park Foundation in Ithaca for twelve years. Jon has also worked at the George Gund Foundation in Cleveland and the Pew Trusts in Philadelphia and has served on numerous national association boards. He has a master’s degree in Animal Behavior from Bucknell University and a bachelor’s from Albright College.
Jon is currently on the board of the State Theatre, Inc. in Ithaca and lives in Danby, New York with his wife, Mary Lee. They have two adult children and a dog.
Upcycled Lamps by Jon Jensen 