About

Heathenn Handmade is based in Durham, NC. I make blade and laser-cut art using wood, paper, fabric and vinyl. I participate in craft markets around the Triangle. I have a regular presence at the places below.

Where to find my work

The Art Market Durham

You can now meet me in person at the Art Market Durham on Saturdays from 9:00-1:00 at the Durham Farmers Market in front of Cecy’s Gallery on Foster Street. I’m not there every Saturday, but I go as often as I can. Cecy is a wonderful host and I hope you will stop by and say hello!

The Artisan Market at 305 – Durham, NC

Durham friends – I am now selling Heathenn Handmade at the wonderful Artisan Market at 305! This great shop is full of handmade goodies from local artists. The owner is warm and inviting. Stop by for a little art therapy next time you are downtown.

What do I make?

My first products were lamps. More about that below. Then I added jewelry, bowls and “zipper eggs” made from emu eggshells. Those are on hold for the moment because we have a new emu hen who has not started laying. In 2022, I got a cutting machine in order to make some new lamp designs. That lead to creating my rainbow prism decals, which soon became my most popular product. In 2024, I added a laser to my studio and began making Fridget Spinners, games, puzzles, new lamps and many other things. I love the laser! It has opened up a whole new range of possibilities. I particularly enjoy making and cutting decoupaged wood. I have been making origami since I was a child and I have quite a collection of paper. It is really fun to use it new ways.

Why Heathenn?

It is a nod to my husband’s last name, Henn, and my emu hen. Without doing a deep dive into origins of the word “heathen,” some sources say it originally meant “crazy bird of the heath,” which certainly would describe my emu if there were any heath about. It later came to mean non-Christian, which also applies to me (and certainly the emus). Its truly a word-play, but hopefully not a bird-brained one.

It all started with lamps…

I made my first “lamp” when I was 6. It was a cardboard box reindeer with a red light bulb for a nose and branches for antlers. The light bulb is what got me going. I don’t know why we had a red light bulb – maybe for my brother’s darkroom.

Fast-forward 40 years and I was once again inspired to start making lamps by something in my closet.  This time, it was the cat lace curtains my mom bought for our house in NJ in 1981. I love those curtains, but they don’t work in my current house due to the casement windows.  I was the Executive Director of a fair trade store for 8 years and LOVED our handmade lamps, many of which were fabric or paper luminaries.  I especially loved our Moroccan henna lamps.  Something clicked when I looked at the lace and I started experimenting with lamp designs.

My first attempts at a lace lamp were based on the popular doily globes on Etsy.  However, using glue to stiffen the lace just didn’t work for me.  I ended up with a floppy mess.  After trying a few variations, I decided that the lace really needed a backing to have the desired effect anyway so I began working on lace and facing cylinders.  However, I needed a base to give them weight and stability.  I tried a bunch or materials, but finally got it right with plaster.  I embedded a 1″ reducing washer in each hand-cast base to hold the light fixture, added glass feet and voila!  I could make any size I need.

Once I got a design that worked, I realized that the lamps were the perfect way to showcase my stash of beautiful fabric.  I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa and brought home a lot of tailor made clothes that I no longer wear, but still love. I also took my kids to Africa a few years ago and they have outgrown all the clothes they had made.  In fact, I have begun searching through all of our old clothes for lamp material. I’ve found enough to keep me busy. In most cases, I only have enough material to make a few lamps in each design. 

If anyone out there in  would like a matching set of lamps or a custom piece using your beloved old fabric, just give me a shout. I can even make you a lamp from your favorite worn out T-shirt. Giving old fabric the chance to shine again is a great pleasure, and I hope that people enjoy the lamps.  More designs are on the way.