April 28th, 2002

From an article in the Portsmouth Herald:

“Bright Idea, Beautiful Lampshades"
by Christine Gillette”

Inspiration burns bright for Kittery Photographer who brings local scenes to light.

Burns says she was stopped on Congress Street, waiting for the light to change, when something caught her eye. It was a lampshade in the window of a store decorated with a black and white scenic photograph. Something clicked. “I thought, what a great idea” she said. Now something that has been Burns’ hobby since she was a child is a growing new business. “I love scenic photography” said Burns, adding that over the years she’s built on an interest that goes back to her childhood by taking lessons from local photographers like Thom Hindle, Burns has progressed to the point where her work was published in books on Portsmouth and auctioned off to benefit local groups like Pro-Portsmouth.

“You have an opportunity to capture something that will never be like that again” she said “You’re capturing a moment in time.” But Burns said before she saw that lampshade, she’d never really taken seriously the idea of turning her photography into a business. A Seacoast resident for nearly two decades, Burns currently lives in Kittery. While the idea to turn her photos of scenes around Portsmouth and the Seacoast came quickly, getting the actual product together did not. First, Burns had to figure out if the concept had been copyrighted, next came researching the materials and then the need for someone to actually fabricate the shades. After months of research Burns says she was ready to give up when she and her husband sat down to lunch at the Ice House. She looked down and there on the placemat was an ad for Shades of Excellence in Stratham.

Just like the day she’d stopped at that red light, fate had once again pushed Burns forward with her business. With GSM Design of Portsmouth’s owner Gail Swedberg willing to print the photos through the unique process and Nancy Benjamin of Shades of Excellence on board to fabricate them – the first “prototype” shade was produced emblazoned with a photo of the pre-renovated Wentworth by the Sea Hotel. Burns said “the shade exceeded all my expectations” Prototype in hand Burns went to Kennedy Studios on Market Street in Portsmouth. “As soon as we saw them we loved them.” Said Maria Ayer, manager of Kennedy Studios. “We’ve had quite a positive response since they’ve been in the store.” After many requests Burns is now also making custom lampshades using any photograph.

August 2002

From an article in Portsmouth Magazine:
“In the Shade” by Maria Larkin

With a flash of inspiration, one local artisan has combined her skills as a photographer and interior designer to start a bright new business.

From an article in the Foster's Daily Democrat:
“Groups Celebrate Environment” by Joel F. Harris

Sharon Meeker of the University of New Hampshire Sea Grant Program and Ann Reid, coordinator of the Great Bay Coast Watch, give Dave Hartman, manager of the New Hampshire Coastal Program, an award Thursday afternoon for helping out local environmental groups at a barbecue at the Coast Guard Station in New Castle. (The Award was a custom photographic lampshade created by Burnsbright Photoshades of Kittery, Maine.)