Lamp Shopping in Marrakech: Getting Lost While Finding Yourself

I think that sometimes the best course of action is to head down an unknown path. The act of wandering can bring all kinds of unexpected surprises and insights. The picture above is from a long-ago trip to Marrakech, Morocco where I wandered the ancient souks, and got lost. Then I found myself and started to wander again.

I’d have never guessed that lamp shopping could be a source of delight for me. My BF and I joke that he wants to open a Moroccan lamp shop when he retires, just to spend his days in the warm glow of the colorful lights dancing across the dim walls. Wandering these narrow alleys off the main square in Morocco, you must duck into one of the little side shops to explore all the jewel-tone lights.

There is a certain type of lamp in Morocco that is made from a mosaic of stained-glass and formed up in abstract geometric patterns. In and of themselves, they a small works of art in their jewel tones in intricate facets.

You’d think that having dozens hanging from the ceiling would be too much, but this is a definite case of more is more. This overall effect of standing under them all is an immersive magic.

Back in my studio, I kept dreaming of those wanderings and the mesmerizing glow of those stained-glass mosaic lamps. I was drawn to my travel images and decided to explore a close-up detail from this experience.

And the result is here as my love letter to wandering lost and wandering found in Marrakech. The jeweled mosaic lamps lit my way and enlightened my path. That feeling of wonder remains with me still and is commemorated in this artwork.