Kelly Malone is the architect of the funky Recycled Lightbulb Chandelier, and for her, it's more than just reusing — it's about ideas. Now, she literally has lightbulbs over her head while she works. Find out more about Kelly's ideas and latest projects.
 
The Internet tells me you are a major player in the San Francisco DIY scene (talk about a niche celeb!) Tell us about what you do.
I’m a total workaholic, because all my jobs are making stuff. I run a DIY school called Workshop, so I spend my days making fun things for classes, coming up with new content, teaching, building fun projects out of wood, and designing local stores and rad DIY interiors. I put on Indie Mart, a design and DIY festival a few times a year. I also work with Noise Pop & the Treasure Island Music Festival and write for the Bold Italic. And sell my own handmade goodies, terrariums, and artwork throughout the city. Basically I eat, breathe, sleep DIY.

Sounds like you’re a “maker” to the core.
If you dumped my purse out you would find a tape measure, drill bits, and handmade beer koozies. Making is a bit of an obsession, coming from a carpenter and seamstress/quilter parents, I think it was in me. My first childhood making memory is Mod Podging with my grandma, and I still do that to this day. The thing that makes me tick is being able to take something and redefine it, rebuild it, or make it into something unexpected.
 
Did that ethos inspire your giant lightbulb chandelier?
I have always liked lightbulbs, I think they are beautiful. When the shape of lightbulbs started changing with more eco-friendly bulbs, I started to save the old not-so-energy-efficient bulbs that were burnt out. They represent ideas, and when I opened Workshop, I wanted to create something interesting to inspire people. Ideas are represented by lightbulbs, so I started scouring for more. I found a wire crib cot and starting adding bulbs over the month we did construction — and by the end it was pretty full. It served my need for creating on limited resources, and it makes the space. I even got a lightbulb tattooed on my arm after it.
 

That’s pretty rad. Do you have any other projects in the works?
I’m always working on new classes for Workshop — we're introducing carpentry, brewing, pickling, and jamming classes for summer. I’m also designing two retail stores in the upcoming months and doing some interesting carpentry work with the walls and salvaged wood. I’ve started to fall in love with my chop saw and working with wood for artwork, screen printing, and experimenting with building new things. I got a lot of my know-how from ReadyMade. We keep every issue in our library at Workshop, so when I need a new idea or project, I often hit the ReadyMades.

What does being a RM 100 finalist mean to you?
It was a huge deal! I got the very first issue when it came out, and I used to read it at my cubicle where I worked for an insurance company. It was like someone found my secret soul and put it in a magazine. I was always intimidated to create because I didn’t have training or hadn’t taken classes in art or design. I just started trying things. Some worked, some failed. Many years and issues later, I now spend my life supporting makers and showing people how to be creative or make things. That doesn’t suck! Being featured was actually a goal of mine, so I was really surprised and blown away when I saw the issue come out. Didn’t hurt that I found out on my birthday, too.