Happy Holidays!

P.S.  For those of you that participated in the Free Lamp contest, we'll be notifying the winners (by email) when we return in January, and shipping out the lamps shortly thereafter. We got such a HUGE response, thanks everyone!

Fire Farm featured as an ASID Favorite!

ASID Icon magazine's Nov/Dec cover story features some of the ASID membership's favorite products and companies. We're so proud to be among them!

Among the Fire Farm pieces cited: Broadway Sconce (available in four shade colors), Magnolia 2919 Pendant, and the Constellation 2913 Series (available in many finish options).

Thanks, everyone!

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Happy Retirement, Donna!

While the snow falls here in Iowa this winter, Fire Farm's second retiree will be enjoying "fun in the sun." Donna Zittergruen, a Custom Specialist at Fire Farm, is leaving for her new winter home in Phoenix, AZ, close to swimming pools and golf courses.

Donna has been a valuable member of the Fire Farm team ever since the company re-located from California. Among her many talents, Donna has a remarkable ability to visualize projects and understand how they might work. Often she would ask a designer, "Couldn't we do it this way?" and, sure enough, her suggestions were often incorporated into the fixture design.

Donna, we wish you a happy retirement with warm weather and low golf scores. You will be missed!

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Fire Farm Takes the Stage (Again)

The Elkader Opera House, built in 1903, is one of several Elkader sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and home to the local Opera House Players. After years of a variety of different uses, the Opera House underwent extensive renovation in 2003 to restore it to its 1903 glory. Much of the restoration work was completed through volunteer efforts and donations; one of Fire Farm's contributions was re-painting the decorative stanchions for 450 seats with new powder-coat paint finish. Today the Opera House remains an active community venue, regularly hosting plays, musicals, concerts, recitals and lectures.

When we at Fire Farm started brainstorming ways to showcase the new Constellation pendants, the Opera House space came up as a, well, no-brainer. Not only do we have a special local connection to the Opera House, but back in 1990, Fire Farm itself emerged from founders Ben and Adam's previous work in theater and theatrical lighting. What better debut for our stars than back on the beloved stage?

Last week the Fire Farm team worked on flying the four fixtures above the stage, in preparation for our photoshoot this week (which will yield more goodies than just still images: we have plans for fun video clips, too, just you wait!). Get a more complete behind-the-scenes look of the photoshoot in the Facebook gallery here.

Visit Constellation Project 2913 page here for more information.

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Busted! April First Jellyfish Report Turns Out To Be Not Completely True

Let's get real folks, nobody really believed that these marvelous fixtures were actually jellyfish residing in Elkader (but if you did, that's OK too). However, they were in fact inspired by those beautiful creatures, Chrysaora Colorata. Not exactly a "smack" or "bloom," but an amazingly complex and gorgeous multiple-fixture Fire Farm Lighting project.

Above, the "jellyfish" in question. Upon further investigation, they turned out not to be actual members of any genus or species, but are still pretty cool anyway. Photographs by Jim Walch.

They have left our warehouse, not via our scenic Turkey River, but by motor and then marine freight to their final destination in the Bahamas where they will grace a 50-foot tall atrium.

Pictured: Jerel "Jack" Palas, Acrylic and Refraction Specialist.

These five fixtures are unbelievably light in weight, but pack a very substantial visual impact! All fabricated from an array of proprietary materials and processes, right here in Elkader, Iowa.

These pieces, as with most Fire Farm creations, can be modified to accommodate your wildest vision or dream.

Jim Walch of Fire Farm

Breaking News: New Species of Jellyfish Discovered in Small-Town Iowa

APRIL 1, 2010. Elkader, Iowa
A smack* of giant jellyfish appeared in Fire Farm's warehouse early Tuesday afternoon, much to the surprise of local residents. Says one witness, "I've never seen a real jellyfish before. They seem to like it here."

The Iowan jellyfish in their "new favorite hang-out" spot.

Local jellyfish experts believe the glowing jellies were migrating up the Mississippi River before taking a scenic detour onto the Turkey River, which flows straight through Elkader. Although the exact species is unknown, they bear a striking resemblance to another aquatic Fire Farm creature, affectionately named Project 2748.

Elkader residents have begun calling the jellyfish "Project 3060," thanks to their close resemblance to the previously discovered Project 2748 (above right). "We think they might be first or second cousins," says someone who knows a bunch about genetics.

It is unclear exactly how long they will stay, but the rural community has welcomed the visitors with its usual warm hospitality. "We have a lot to offer tourists, so I'm not surprised they decided to stick around," says one Elkader resident. "We're really hoping they'll spread the word to all of their friends."

*Yes, that's what a group of jellyfish is called. Also: bloom or swarm.

Constellation Sensation

Last week we gave you a sneak peek of our upcoming Constellation series, but as gorgeous as still images of these pieces are, it's nothing compared to the effect of walking around them.

So, we walked around them for you! Here's a video shot last week (we were shooting stars... heh heh heh) to show the fantastic color changes of the dichroic diffusers as you move around the fixture. Incredible, right?



Constellation Series

Available in:
3ft, 6ft, 9ft, and 12ft approximate diameters
Black, white, or stainless steel perforated metal points
White or color-changing dichroic diffusing petals
Incandescent or fluorescent lamping

Click here to visit the Project 2913 page.

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Star Light, Star Bright...

Yet another internal project of ours is nearing completion, almost ready for an unveiling. You'll notice from the sneak-peek photo above that the piece resembles a star. A bright, new star. A piece of star light. Oh, the pun-ny possibilities!

And so we ask you, dear readers, what witty wordsmithing should we employ in our upcoming starry, red-carpet rollout? Calling all pretty puns and corny quips, please!
 
Either leave your ideas in a comment below, or join in on our Facebook page.

Click here to visit the Project 2913 page.

New Pearls

We in the R&D department are getting very excited about some new internal projects nearing completion. We'll be unveiling them soon; until then, here's a sneak peek at two in particular:

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Sun + Wave = Awe

An Orion Wave on a shop table, waiting to be shipped out -- lit only by the morning sun coming through the window.

Coming to work in the morning to discover moments like this = Priceless.

Click here for Project 22802-01 (Orion Wave).

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Think Big with Fire Farm

At 11 feet in diameter and 3 feet tall, these cylindrical shades, which just went out the door, rank as some of the larger lighting sculpture/fixtures we have built to date.

Their scale required fabrication in four sections to fit in the truck and through the door. We estimate it will take about one hour to install each one, and each will weigh less than 450 lbs hanging. Each fixture uses high-efficiency T5 fluorescent bulbs.

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Lois Retires from Fire Farm

One of the first employees hired after Fire Farm's move from California to Iowa, Lois Ott is now our first retiree. After eight years in the Production Department, Lois will no longer be found fashioning beautiful mesh shades for our fixtures.

Being an expert mesh-folder, Lois came up with a folding design all her own, resulting in what has been named the "Loie" lamp (pictured above), which will become an addition to our stock product line.

Thanks, Lois, for all of your dedication and hard work -- we'll miss you!

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Here at Fire Farm, we really get into our work...

Fire Farm Introduces Latest Fashion Craze: Wearing the Wave

Happy New Year to all!

Click here for Project 22802-01 (Orion Wave)

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Project 2991: 3D Models

Using Google Sketchup and Podium programs, we've inserted our design proposal into the Bemidji Regional Events Center space, to get a real sense of how the piece would interact with its surroundings.

Take a look at our online presentation file.

Click here for the Project page.

Project 2991: Videos

Another look at the prototype that Fire Farm is presenting to the Bemidji Regional Events Center. These videos demonstrate the potential for this as a kinetic piece; ambient air currents rhythmically move the seven suspended rings.

Project 2991: Sneak Peek

Fire Farm is working on a design proposal for the Bemidji Regional Events Center in Bemidji, Minn., and we're so excited about the way this project is unfolding that we want to let you in on the action as it happens. We're working on videos, 3-D models and more, so look for updates here on our blog, as well as on our Facebook page, starting next week.

Can't wait for next week to find out more?

Take a look at our in-the-works online presentation file.

The Prezi presentation is in rough-draft stage at the moment, but so far highlights local Bemidji influences that are shaping Adam's design. We'll be working on it over the weekend, and since the Prezi presentation is live, you'll see the most updated version as soon as we click "Save". Click here to see it.

Liquid Light

THE MEETING OF PHOTONS, REFRACTION, AND POLYMERIZATION

This week we experimented with a combination of materials that yielded extraordinary results! Shouts of joy resounded throughout the R & D shop, even the most jaded and time- tested of our crew members were shocked and amazed. We have discovered what one described as "Liquid Light!," while another exclaimed, "It's alive!"

The resulting multi-dimensional plane of spectral color, literally changes in saturation and intensity, undulates, and follows your every move. You want to grab the color in your hand, but you are not even certain as to where it is, or where it went. The visual impact surpasses that of the very best Opal gemstone or Northern Lights!

These images on your computer screen can only begin to translate visually this stunning discovery.

Jim Walch of Fire Farm

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