At Nook Collections, we believe light transforms spaces in the same way art transforms perception. For our newest collaboration, Art & Light series, we partnered with the N.Smith Gallery and artist Natasha Walsh to immerse one of our most iconic designs the Tolomeo Table Lamp by Artemide into her studio as she painted The Window.
This collaboration sits at the intersection of light and art, exploring how illumination shapes creativity, practice, and experience.
Natasha Walsh and Founder & Director N Smith share their perspective on how light, material, and design come together to shape the artworks and the way they are experienced.
Natasha Walsh - Artist
Can you share the inspiration behind your artistic practice and the themes you're most drawn to?
This year I've been drawn to exploring the window as a metaphor for painting itself. A boundary at the edge between two worlds which captures the idea of looking with longing into somewhere you cannot enter.
I tend to be drawn to themes that resonate with my lived experiences as a human being.
Working with copper sheet requires such precision. What led you to choose copper as a material?
I came to copper 10 years ago through my own experimentation in the studio while finishing my masters. I was working with creating these sound installations at the time and was using the copper for its conductive properties. I missed making paintings, and had been experimenting with making my own paint, through my own research into old recipes and methods and conservation books.
At the time I was reading A Picture of Dorian Grey. It's a story about a young man who is painted, and who's painting takes on the appearance of the life he lives whilst he remains young and beautiful. I thought to myself; it could be fun to do a self-portrait on a small copper sheet, since copper changes over time with oxidisation - it could be my own little Dorian Grey painting.
I was aware of copper being used as a rare support by some artists in art history. That they sealed it first and worked with it for its smoothness. I knew that once oil paint set on it, it became a very stable work of art. But I wanted to experiment with it unsealed. So I played with different obscure methods I might use to prep the surface for my brush and then began the painting with a Mirror to reveal my subject. I was delighted and shocked when the first pigment shifted colour as it responded to the copper surface. It was like capturing lightning in a bottle.
Do you mix your own paints for all your colours, or is blue unique in that way?
I mix all my paints - by knowing what’s in each batch, I develop a deeper understanding of the different reactions.
In what ways does light, natural or artificial, shape the way your work is experienced?
Completely. The copper is a highly reflective surface, even through layers of oil paint.
I often leave small sections of my paintings as bare copper so that the light catches the surface and reminds the viewer of the materials, as well as reflecting their movement in reflected light within the work. Giving it life, movement, and room to breathe with my image.
The way light hits the surface will also change how it 'read', making the form appear to project or recede, flatten or gain dimension, darkening or enriching a colours appearance. Light is what makes the work live.
What was it like seeing your work alongside the Tolomeo and Gweilo table lamps in this collaboration?
It was wonderful! The works illuminated my installation in the front window of N. Smith Gallery, capturing the light as a tangible player on my stage.
N Smith - Founder & Director
What inspired you to collaborate with Nook Collections?
At N.Smith Gallery, we’re always interested in working with partners who share our belief that design and art can transform the way people experience a space. Nook’s sensitivity to craft and their considered approach to design made them a natural fit. Their lighting not only complements the artworks, but also speaks to the broader dialogue between functionality and aesthetics that’s central to what we do.
How important is lighting design in shaping the atmosphere of a gallery?
Lighting is everything in a gallery. It guides how a viewer engages with an artwork — revealing textures, shifting colour perception, and creating intimacy or drama. A thoughtfully lit space can heighten the impact of a work, allowing its subtleties to emerge and giving audiences a more profound encounter.
How do you feel the Tolomeo lamp sits within the gallery context alongside Natasha's work?
The Tolomeo lamp, with its elegant balance of precision and simplicity, was a beautiful counterpoint to Natasha Walsh’s paintings. Natasha’s copper surfaces shimmer and change with light, and the Tolomeo amplified this alchemy — offering a dialogue between an iconic piece of design and a deeply personal, intimate body of work. Together they created a space that was both functional and poetic.
What excites you most about exploring the intersection of functional design and fine art?
The meeting point between functional design and fine art feels like fertile ground for discovery. Both disciplines are about shaping how we see and feel in the world — one through utility, the other through expression. When they meet, new possibilities open up: spaces that invite reflection, works that resonate differently, and audiences who come away with a richer sense of how creativity informs daily life.
Art in Conversation: Light and Form
In this collaboration at N.Smith Gallery, Walsh’s copper works and Nook Collections’ lighting engage in a quiet conversation, showing how light and design can enhance the experience of art and encourage viewers to notice new details in both the works and their surroundings.
