So, How Did I get into this?

My dad is a master electrician and has been in the IBEW 134 Union of electrical workers for over 65 years. 

Several years ago, I found out that when younger electricians worked with him, the saying was, “When ya work with Fred, you earn your bread!”  He turns 89 this coming December 2020. 

When I was around 10 years old, he would take me along as his “apprentice” on side jobs.  It was not fun.  I remember being on a job with him in the middle of winter, installing a mercury vapor light in a car dealer parking lot.  My job was to pull wire through a piece of conduit from a dozen rolls of wire to the panel in the showroom, while he shouted instructions from outside.  It was miserable work and he wasn’t surprised when I said I did not want to be an electrician.

On the upside, I learned basic electrical skills from Dad.  Over the years, he helped me with every electrical issue I had, and even wired my entire basement in my first home.  One time, we went to Ace Hardware to get a roll of #12 stranded wire.  The salesperson was telling Dad he could get by on #14 wire.  We insisted on #12.  On the way back, Dad informed me that we would have burned my house down if we followed the Ace Hardware guy’s advice.  He also helped me install 3 ceiling fans/lights in 3 bedrooms that did not have them.

Fast forward to how I got into this.  I started following a group on Facebook called “Electrical Hacks and Other Screw-ups.”   It’s a site where electricians document and make fun of homeowners and handymen who don’t follow code.  That’s why hiring a licensed electrician is so important.  One day, some electricians posted lamps they made out of supplies from their trucks.  I was intrigued.  I noticed a trend called “Steampunk”, so started researching and getting inspired from Pinterest and other sites. 

At first, I started making pull-chain lamps that combined gas pipe ½ inch fittings with telegraph insulators (glass shades).  I made them for family and friends.  I learned all the parts that connect and where to source them, leading me to design different lamps.

I noticed in my travels that exposed light bulbs and steampunk design were in almost every restaurant and micro-brewery.  When my daughter, Sarah and her husband, Philip, moved into a new townhome, I designed some fixtures for them based on their tastes.  It was really fun.  I also made some custom lamps for my other kids’ homes.

From Dirk to Light is now a combination of ready-made steampunk lamps and made-to-order fixtures.  I hope you enjoy seeing some examples of my work.

On a final note, i need to give credit where credit is due.  A friend of ours, Helen Jones, came up with the name From Dirk To Light, and so it began!