more from elle decor this month, and tom dixon. loved his use of hand-beaten brass with painted black exterior in creating these exquisite pendant lamps and vases. i have to confess that i've really never been much of a brass lover, actually i could care if i ever saw it again. through the years everything has been this polished, generic, sterile looking brass and i just grew bored of the material. but...tom dixon made me take another look. born in tunisia and transplanted to london, tom owned (and has crashed) a motorcycle or two which demanded he know a bit about welding. so you see what this all has led to? "he is a self-educated maverick whose only qualification is a one-day course in plastic bumper repair." as quoted directly from his website. intriguing. sometimes you end up with a tool in your hand intended for another purpose i suppose, it forces you to see the possibilities, if you are as creative as tom dixon that is. enjoy.