As anyone who like me spends a lot of time working with artists will tell you there comes a point when you find yourself saying “I could do that” along with “How difficult can it be”

Unfortunatley I may have said that to the wrong person and their reaction was to say “Go on then fill your boots” For a couple of years now I have provided technical support for the Canary Wharf Winter Lights festival, which consists of a number of artists from around the world installing outdoor artworks around the theme of lights and runs for the middle two weeks of January.

This year there are a number of spectacular works including an enormous water screen projection, and then there is me. I have created my ball of fire. Based around very clever very realistic led flame lamps.

To simply state I have created a copper lantern, down plays the craft involved I started with a sheet of metal and some water pipe, and this is the result, which is then supported by a 5mt post in the shape of a copper lily leaf, all of which should accentuate and reflect the colour of the flame across one of the plazas.

I have absolutely no idea how it will be received, or how it compares, but it really doesn’t matter. they called my bluff but I think I might just get away with it, and afterwards I get a most unusual lantern for the garden