Using old, rare hand-cut Japanese stencils, Southeast Asian temple rubbings and colorful Chinese documents from the early 20th century, she has created a unique form of ambient lighting. Each piece is one-of-a-kind and features either the intricacy of Japanese stencils, the gracefulness of the figures depicted in temple rubbings or the delicate Chinese calligraphy . Her technique has harnessed the soft glow of diffused light and created an ambient "art-lamp" with richness and textures that will find a place in any home.
Born in Paris, France, Ms. Garau moved with her family to the United States when she was a child. Having found her creative calling in furniture design, she pursued her interest by studying under a master wood-worker and then became self-taught as she proceeded to master traditional joinery and old-world veneering techniques. Her furniture designs feature unconventional shapes and styles, and she specializes in the use of highly figured, exotic woods for her unique pieces. The concept of using art, light and wood came about as she experimented with back-lighting colored papers and stencils to create frames for art displays. "I was inspired by the texture and intricacy of the various papers and art. Backlighting them just made sense to me", says Ms. Garau, adding, "the rest just fell into place. I knew it was a harmonious combination when I looked at my first pieces and the only word that came to mind was serenity".