Apr 29, 2021

Christine Galvez

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF

"My name is Christine Galvez and I am a French metalworker. I created the label METALIGHT NEW YORK as a vehicle to showcase my complete body of work and make it more accessible: Light fixtures, furniture, sculptures, ornamental objects.

My wish is to preserve the artisan tradition, reconnecting artistic beauty and function through a simple and uncluttered design aesthetic. My creations combine art, design, and functionality."

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?

"I got started with a spark while watching my father tinkering, welding and creating in his workshop in the south of France. The spark inspired me as a young girl to try my hand at metalwork. After a career in investment banking in France, I moved to NY and joined the Art Students League in 2012 to start a brand-new journey. I became a Makerspace member in August 2020, and I don’t regret it! I am enjoying every single day in the amazing space, full equipped shop which allows me to continue to improve my skills among welcoming and nice talented artists and makers."

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

"Creating light was my first source of artistic inspiration. In my opinion, a light fixture is an integral part of a décor and not simply a source of light. Following this principal, my lamps, when un-lit, must appear sculptural. Then, when lit, they should transform. Light penetrates the body, creating a magical shadow play that can fill the wall, the ceiling or the room.

Progressively, I became more confident with my work and I have created a personal universe, capturing and preserving nature’s fleeting beauty with metal, creating a whimsical world filled with creatures and myths. I created my own bestiary as I was a naturalist.

My adoration for the iconic NYC water towers as soon as I arrived in US became an obsession. I decided to bring them home by miniaturing them. They became an ornamental object where you can hide your secrets inside then I decided to light them to flood the room with shadows.

Upcycling unclaimed or discarded automobile parts or all scrap metal is a challenge but quite easy when you love to play with them. "

DO YOU HAVE ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT?

"Makerspace provides a huge range of tools. I never had the opportunity to use some of them before and I have already got some tool training. This technical opening gives me tons of new ideas. I am dying to make new experimentations and start to mix medias. For sure, since I moved in, I have more desires and my old craft limits are gone."

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT MAKERSPACE?

"A metalworker friend I met at the Art Students League became a member of Makerspace two years ago and never stopped to tell us how happy he was and how this space helped him to develop his creativity. As soon as I visited the place, I decided to join Makerspace and my only regret was to not have moved earlier. And I am not alone, as 4 other metalworkers joined as well.

I like the space, the tools, the class opportunity, the dynamic generated by the multiple makers and the entire freedom in the respect of the others.

Definitely a great place to be, run by talented and nice staff! What else?"