Candles bring light and comfort and can be important for our daily rituals. But so are other things - like not creating excess landfill, emissions or using materials that hurt the earth. Driven by this paradox (and a love of making) I explored the traditional art of dipping candles using only pure, local beeswax and natural cotton wicks.

This slow and precise method involves immersing wick repeatedly into molten wax, building on the existing layer each time. I repeat this process until the candle reaches the desired width - generally forty to fifty dips for a dinner candle. The gentle taper that forms reflects the intention, mindfulness and care with which they are made.

I hand dip all candles at my studio near Bungendore NSW.