robert temple
biography
I’m an artist and musician based in Oakland, CA, where I’ve lived since 1983—including more than 30 years in Temescal. I was born in New Jersey and came here as a teenager, then left after high school and came back with my first wife and our kids. I’ve worked all kinds of jobs, construction, driving a cab in SF, and working musician. For many years I worked at the Alcatraz Shade Shop, visiting people’s homes and helping them choose window coverings. It was there I developed my fascination with color and form, balancing function with aesthetics.
Lamps have been an ongoing passion. I pick up discarded objects, sometimes knowing immediately how I’ll use them, other times saving them for future inspiration. I love treasure hunting in beloved East Bay stores like Urban Ore, the East Bay Center for Creative Re-Use, and Bambino Thrift Shop, and sometimes I find things on the ground. While some ideas stem from other lamps or architecture, my process is largely subconscious. Early on, I combined materials without a clear plan; over time, I’ve refined my art, seeking flow and intentional color. I make the lamps in my home music studio—a space where creativity unfolds naturally,
Shade selection is an ongoing challenge—most commercially available ones are uninspiring. I buy some, make others using old frames, and my wife Lory who is also an artist decorates them with a rag painting technique. The right shade dramatically alters the lamp’s form.
To date, I estimate I’ve made around 300 lamps. For June 2025 Open Studios, I’ve completed new table lamps and a large-scale floor lamp.
Beyond art and music, I picked up pickleball during the pandemic in October 2020 and play often at various courts in Oakland.
artist statement
Reclaimed Luminosity is a collection of lamps and light sculptures, made by hand using reclaimed materials and found objects.
I’ve always been fascinated with light and how it interacts with shape and color in dynamic ways. After years of collecting and salvaging interesting items, I started to experiment with creating lamps as I love exploring the combination of light, form, and function.
My vision in both art and music is guided by balancing logic and structure with openness, creativity, and improvisation. My lamps are all one- or two-of-a-kind, featuring unexpected forms that develop organically as I work. They are made using mostly recycled and up-cycled materials; including glass, metal, ceramic, slate, and granite.
Some of the defining features of my lamps are the great variety of materials combined in eclectic ways; the additional battery LEDs running inside some of the lamps; and the fact that each lamp is crafted with an artistic vision, bringing a unique sculptural aesthetic to a functional household item.
